MOSCOW, October 23. /TASS/: The Kremlin endorses US President Joe Biden’s statement that the world is in need of a new order, but Moscow does not agree that such an order can be built under the auspices of Washington alone, Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told the media.

"We absolutely agree with Mr. Biden. This is a rare occasion when we absolutely agree with what he said. Indeed, the world is in need of a new order, [but one] based on entirely different principles [than what the US promotes]," he said.

CANBERRA, Oct 23 (NNN-AAP) – The peak body representing Australian farmers, has called for the federal government to walk away from a proposed free trade agreement (FTA) with the European Union (EU).

In a statement issued from its Canberra headquarters today, the National Farmers’ Federation (NFF), said that, farmers feared being sold out by a bad deal with the EU.

BERLIN, Oct 23 (Reuters) - The star of Germany's left-most parliamentary party has quit to set up her own populist formation, based on scepticism on both green issues and on support for Ukraine, that polls suggest could capture up to 20% of the vote.

Sahra Wagenknecht, who grew up in East Germany as the daughter of a German mother and an absent Iranian father, told reporters on Monday she would aim to win over disgruntled voters of left and right.

SHIBERGHAN, Afghanistan, Oct. 23 (Xinhua) -- More than 100 families received China-donated rice in the Darzab district of north Afghanistan's Jawzjan province on Sunday, provincial director for national disaster authority Sarajudin Saraj said Monday.

Each needy family received a sack of 25 kg of rice donated by China, the official said.

Saraj added that a sack of 50 kg of flour and 2 kg of beans provided by other nations were also given to each needy family in the district.

KATHMANDU, Oct 23 (NNN-XINHUA) – At least six people were killed and three others injured, after a jeep plunged into a river in south-central Nepal’s Palpa district.

The jeep was heading towards Rani Mahal, a famous tourist destination in the district, when it skidded off the road, and landed in a narrow gorge.

The driver was injured after jumping off the jeep before it plunged into the river, said Raj Kumar Chapagain, a district police officer.

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — For months after Ukraine’s Western allies limited sales of Russian oil to $60 per barrel, the price cap was still largely symbolic. Most of Moscow’s crude — its main moneymaker — cost less than that.

But the cap was there in case oil prices rose — and would keep the Kremlin from pocketing extra profits to fund its war in Ukraine. That time has now come, putting the price cap to its most serious test so far and underlining its weaknesses.

MADRID (AP) — Spanish police said Monday they have confiscated 11 pieces of ancient gold jewelry that were taken out of Ukraine illegally in 2016.

A police statement said five people who were attempting to sell the pieces in Spain have been arrested in recent weeks. Those arrested included two Ukrainians, one of them an Orthodox Church priest, and three Spaniards.

The jewelry was said to be worth 60 million euros ($64 million) and dated from between the eighth and fourth centuries B.C.

CAIRO, October 23. /TASS/: Hamas is ready to confront Israeli forces if they launch a ground operation in the Gaza Strip, said the Palestinian radical group’s spokesman Abdel-Latif al-Qanoua.

"[The Palestinian] resistance has unity and strength, as it can control combat operations and has a high level of readiness to resist any ground aggression in Gaza," al-Qanoua said in a statement, posted on Hamas’ Telegram channel.

JERUSALEM, Oct 23 (NNN-MA’AN) – An Israeli tank, “accidentally” fired and hit an Egyptian military post yesterday, the regime Defence Forces (IDF), said in a statement.

The Egyptian post is located in the area of Kerem Shalom, near the Israel-Egypt border and southern Gaza Strip, amid heavy fighting between Israel and Hamas.

There were no immediate reports of casualties.

“The incident is being investigated and the details are under review,” the regime military said. The military also expressed “sorrow regarding the incident.”

Dubai, United Arab Emirates (AP) — A court in Iran sentenced two female journalists to up to seven years in prison for “collaborating” with the United States government among other charges, local reports said. Both have been imprisoned for over a year following their coverage of the death of Mahsa Amini while in police custody in Sept. 2022.

This is a preliminary sentencing that can be appealed in 20 days.

WASHINGTON, Oct 21 (Reuters) - When Joe Biden met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his war cabinet during his visit to Israel, the U.S. president assured them: "I don't believe you have to be a Jew to be a Zionist, and I am a Zionist."

The politicians and generals gathered in the ballroom of the Tel Aviv hotel nodded in approval, according to a U.S. official knowledgeable of the closed-door remarks, even as Israel bombarded Gaza in retaliation for a devastating attack by Palestinian Hamas militants and with a ground invasion looming.

EVANSTON, Ill. (AP) — The father of freed American teen hostage Natalie Raanan said Friday she’s doing well following two weeks in captivity after she and her mother were abducted in Israel by Hamas and held in Gaza.

Uri Raanan of Illinois told The Associated Press that he spoke to his daughter Friday by telephone. “She’s doing good. She’s doing very good,” said Uri Raanan, who lives in the Chicago suburbs. “I’m in tears, and I feel very, very good.”