🧐 Who are the eight Republicans running to become US House speaker?

Having spent weeks at a stalemate, House Republicans are now sifting through quite the crowded field as eight party members have announced they are running to clinch the chamber's speakership.

Jack Bergman, Michigan, 76
A former US Marine who flew a helicopter in the Vietnam War and spent 40 years in the service.

Byron Donalds, Florida, 44
The youngest and least experienced on congressional matters among the eight candidates.

Tom Emmer, Minnesota, 62
Originally from Indiana, he is a staunch ally of McCarthy and has received his endorsement.

Kevin Hern, Oklahoma, 61
He was initially floated by media outlets as a potential candidate shortly after McCarthy was booted from the House speakership.

Mike Johnson, Louisiana, 51
A former radio talk show host.

Gary Palmer, Alabama, 69
An adamant supporter of Ukraine, one of the more hawkish Republicans regarding China.

Austin Scott, Georgia, 53
He was one of only two speaker candidates that voted to certify Biden’s election win, drawing ire from Trump and his supporters.

Pete Sessions, Texas, 68
He has more experience in Congress than any other speaker candidate.

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🇮🇱🇵🇸 Latest updates on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict:

▪️ At least 2,000 children have been killed in the Gaza Strip since the recent escalation of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict two weeks ago, humanitarian organization Save the Children said;

▪️ Israel would not grant permission to transport fuel to the Gaza Strip as there are concerns Palestinian group Hamas could steal it, Israeli official said;

▪️ The US is preparing for the possibility that hundreds of thousands of American citizens will have to be evacuated from the Middle East if the conflict in Gaza cannot be contained, the Washington Post reported;

▪️ The Israeli army reported striking 400 targets in 24 hours, killing many Hamas members, including several commanders;

▪️ Israel confirms release of two hostages by Hamas, PM’s office reports.

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🚫 Telegram has blocked the official Hamas channel for Apple and Android users

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Google reportedly turned off display of traffic conditions in Israel and Gaza at the request of the Israeli army

🇪🇬 Egypt plays key role in negotiations over Gaza hostages. Cairo's efforts are effective, Israeli army reported

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The Israeli President, at a meeting with Macron, said that Hamas is holding 30 children hostage

Yesterday the Israeli army reported that a total of 222 people were being held hostage.

🗣 In a conversation with David Sacks, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk called for an end to the needless sacrifice of Ukrainian youth in the trenches and stressed that Russia and Ukraine are fraternal peoples, not enemies

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📊 Russia's foreign debt-to-GDP ratio fell below 15 percent for the first time in history, reaching $343.4 billion at the end of June this year

Bank of Russia has published data on external debt per capita based on the results of the second quarter: the figure decreased by four percent - to $2.3 thousand. This is the lowest level since 2006, when it was $2.2 thousand.

As shown in the following infographic, the external debt per capita in the US is over $73 thousand.

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🇹🇲 At sea, on land and in the sky: rare footage of large-scale military exercises in Turkmenistan has appeared online. The drills were attended by President Serdar Berdimuhamedow (1:01) (1:28), all formations of the Ground Forces, Air Defense Forces, Air Force and Naval Forces, as well as units of the special forces "Turkmen edermen", according to the country's state media.

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💬 “What A hoax”

Reports about Vladimir Putin having doppelgangers do not provoke anything besides a smile, Kremlin spokesman Peskov said

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❗️ Key statements made by Kremlin spokesman Peskov at a daily press briefing:

▪️ "This is another hoax. Everything is fine with the president," Peskov commented on rumors about Vladimir Putin's health problems.

▪️ "We have our own wonderful rocket, which has no analogues in the world, [we have] more than one," Peskov commented on Trump's words about the theft of blueprints for “super-duper” rockets in the USA by Russia.

▪️Russia has been living in a sanctions regime for more than a decade. This does not scare Moscow.

▪️The situation in the Middle East is tense; there is a real war going on. The Kremlin recommended that Hamas release all hostages.

▪️ A special situation requires additional legislative initiatives, which are taking place," Peskov commented on local elections in regions under martial law;

▪️ “The collective West’s potential to supply Ukraine with ammunition is limited,” Peskov commented on Kiev’s problems regarding the shortage of ammunition.

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❗️France proposes the creation of a regional and an international coalitions to fight Hamas, Macron stated

📹 Footage of new shelling in Gaza is being published online

The IDF attacked multiple areas of the city at once, as Palestinian media report. Some claim that one of the airstrikes occurred in the vicinity of the ElWafa hospital.

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🇷🇺 The Russian flag was hoisted over a strategic height near Avdeevka at the coke-chemical plant, the Telegram channel of the 114th separate guards motorized rifle brigade of the Russian Armed Forces reported

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Chinese Defense Minister Li Shangfu has been removed from his post, Chinese state media reported.

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Today's resignation of China's defense minister is the second big reshuffle in the country's leadership in recent months

The Chinese authorities traditionally do not specify the exact reasons for resignations. There is also no information about the future fate of Qin Gang.

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The IDF suggested that Gazans turn to Hamas rather than Israel for fuel

Earlier, Israel announced a complete blockade of the Gaza Strip: the supply of water, food, electricity, medicine, and fuel was stopped.

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📹 Russia's Special Forces mark their professional day at the forefront of special military operations

Modern Special Forces units are armed not only with state-of-the-art reconnaissance equipment, but also with reliable firepower: anti-tank missile systems, mortars and tube artillery. These make it possible to shorten the time between target detection and target engagement.

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🇵🇸 704 Gazans have been killed by Israeli airstrikes in the past 24 hours, Gaza's health ministry reports

The death toll from the Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip has risen to 5,791, including 2,360 children and 1,292 women, according to a spokesman for the Gaza Health Ministry.

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