Tsai's US Visit Can't Curb China's Growing Political Clout Worldwide

Taiwanese leader Tsai Ing-wen's "transit visit" to the US is consistent with Washington's policy of having close relations with the island while maintaining the appearance of non-official ties, Ross Feingold, a political risk analyst, told Sputnik, adding that Beijing could respond with military exercises and restrictions against Taipei.

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US Drones 'Heavily Involved' in Guiding Kiev's Forces Before Russian Intercept

The crash of a US surveillance drone in the Black Sea earlier this month was a major embarrassment for the Pentagon. International relations and security analyst Mark Sleboda said the incident also crippled efforts to target Russian troop positions for Ukraine's forces.

A senior US military source told the media earlier this week that US spy drones were "for the time being" giving a wide berth to Russia's Black Sea Coast "to avoid being too provocative."

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Mark Sleboda, an international relations and security analyst, joins us to discuss the US decision to redirect its surveillance drones along a different route over the Black Sea after the Russian-US air collision earlier this month

🎧Listen to more of Sleboda’s analysis in our podcast Fault Lines: Re-routing of US Drones Over Black Sea Has Hindered Intel in Ukraine

🇷🇺🇺🇳 Russia is calling for an independent investigation into the last year events in the city of Bucha, near Kiev, and calls on the United Nations to publish a list of the victims, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Thursday.

🗣 "We are saying it once again. In order to find out the truth, it is necessary to carry out a fair, impartial, independent investigation, which should be focused on giving answers to four questions: identification of bodies, time and cause of death, signs of possible transportation of the bodies," Zakharova said during her press conference.

▪️ Russia has requested the full list of Bucha's residents, who died at the time of the events, from the UN, but the organization has not provided such a list yet, Zakharova added.

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George Koo, a journalist, social activist, and international business consultant, joins us to discuss Ma Ying-jeou’s visit to China and the significance of the event as a change in the Taiwanese attitude towards the Mainland

🗣️”But the whole truth of the matter is China doesn't have to pressure anybody. They offer collaboration, cooperation, economic assistance. And, of course, China is looking to have all these relationships as future customers, future allies and friends, economic allies, I should say. And it doesn't take much brainpower to see that falling with Beijing is going to be the right way to go,” he added

🎧Listen to more of Koo’s analysis in our podcast The Critical Hour

What is a Yars ICBM?

This week, Russia has launched a command and staff exercise of its Strategic Missile Forces in Siberia, which involves one of the deadliest weapons in Moscow’s nuclear arsenal.

According to a statement issued by the Russian Ministry of Defense, the exercise involves the deployment of RS-24 Yars mobile intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launchers.

So what exactly are these Yars missiles, which currently comprise a large portion of Russia’s strategic missile arsenal, and how much damage can they do?

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Daryl Jones, an attorney, and voting rights activist, joins us to discuss the upcoming Summit for Democracy hosted by the US and the need for the US to take up this domestic policy instead of telling others what to do

🎧Listen to more of Jones’ analysis in our podcast The Critical Hour

🔺Moving towards de-dollarization: China and Brazil have concluded an agreement on bilateral trade in Chinese yuan
🔺If Zelensky loses Artyomovsk (Bakhmut), he will be pushed to ‘compromise’ with Russia
🔺Taiwan defies China’s threats: Taiwanese leader Tsai Ing-wen has arrived in New York

The Critical Hour will cover these and more stories! Tune in to Radio Sputnik at 6pm EST|3pm PST|12am CET via the website or app

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🇨🇳 Two Chinese missile destroyers and one tanker moved through the Tsushima Strait to the Sea of Japan where joint naval drills will be held by Japan, the United States and South Korea, the Japanese Joint Staff said on Thursday.

▪️ On Tuesday, China's Type 052D guided missile destroyer was spotted 240 kilometers (149 miles) of the Goto islands in Japan's prefecture of Nagasaki, with China's Type 055 destroyer and a tanker detected in the area an hour later, the joint staff said, adding that the three ships went through the Tsushima Strait toward the Sea of Japan the next day.

📍 The Japanese news agency reported earlier in the week that the USS Nimitz aircraft carrier and its strike group arrived at a port in the South Korean city of Busan and is expected to take part in joint drills along with South Korea and Japan in the Sea of Japan.

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📹 Airborne Troops units overwhelm Kiev regime’s strongholds in special military operation (video by Russia’s MoD)

▪️ The Russian Aerospace Forces’ assault groups supported by artillery, UAVs, and tanks have seized several strongholds of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

▪️ Overwhelmed by Russian paratroopers, the enemy sustained significant losses in personnel and hardware, and was forced to commit reserves in order to avoid further losing its positions. Despite this, the enemy failed to hold the positions and abandoned the defensive line.

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Russia Vows Not To Let Nord Stream Investigations ‘Off The Hook’

Russia will do everything to not allow the probes into blasts along the Nord Stream pipelines to get "off the hook" easily, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Thursday.

""Our next steps will be not to let these national investigations off the hook, as well as those who have sworn that this will be enough to find out the truth. This is precisely what we will do, and this matter is far from being closed,"," Lavrov told reporters.

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China, Brazil Strike Blow Against Dollar Through Bilateral Trade

The PRC and Brazil are moving towards a new level of bilateral trade. Beijing has made a bold move to boost its economic influence in Latin America. Brazil's example could stimulate the displacement of the dollar from the Southern Common Market's (MERCOSUR) trade with China.

Both nations have signed an agreement to trade using their local currencies. The announcement was made Wednesday at a high-level China-Brazil business forum in Beijing.

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🇺🇸 US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said on Thursday that he is prepared to meet with President Joe Biden at any time to negotiate on raising the debt ceiling, but that Biden does not appear interested in meeting.

💬 “[Biden] apparently doesn’t want to meet, and I don’t understand why,” McCarthy said during a press conference. “I’m ready at any time, at any moment. I’ll come tonight.”

⏳ Last month, Biden and McCarthy gathered to discuss raising the debt ceiling and other economic policy matters, following which both leaders said they hoped for further talks.

McCarthy reiterated the GOP’s calls to address rising government spending before authorizing a higher borrowing limit.

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General Staff of Russian Armed Forces Says Not Planning Second Wave of Mobilization

Volunteers and those who have already been called up for service are enough to carry out the tasks of the special operation, spokesman for the Main Organizational and Mobilization Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces Vladimir Tsimlyansky said on Friday.

In October, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu announced that Russia had hit its recruitment goals through mobilization, saying in a televised meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin that he request had been met.

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Trump Indicted by Grand Jury, Says 'Political Persecution' Will Backfire on Biden

A Manhattan Grand Jury has voted to indict former US President Donald Trump, CNN reported citing three sources familiar with the matter.

The Manhattan District Attorney's office has been looking into Trump's alleged role in a hush money payment and cover-up involving adult film star Stormy Daniels during the lead-up to the 2016 election.

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Ukraine to Ban Athletes From Participating in Competitions With Russians

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) executive board recommended international sports federations to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete under a neutral flag but not if they support the ongoing military operation in Ukraine or are contracted to the Russian or Belarusian military or national security agencies.

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📹 A RS-24 Yars mobile intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launcher went on combat patrol routes

▪️ The RS-24 Yars is a solid-propellant three-stage intercontinental ballistic missile manufactured by the Votkinsk Machine Building Plant, which forms the mainstay of Russia’s land-based strategic missile forces.

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Sweden 'No Longer Sure' It Will Join NATO by July

Despite applying to NATO simultaneously and voicing plans to join the alliance together, Finland and Sweden have obviously split ways, as Finland's bid gained full acceptance, whereas Sweden's remains swamped with problems.

Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom has said he was no longer sure his country would be able to join NATO by July, following recent objections from Hungary on top of those from Turkiye.

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Governor DeSantis Says Florida Will Not Assist in Extradition Request For Trump

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said in a statement that the state will not assist in an extradition request for former President Donald Trump due to questionable circumstances surrounding Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.

DeSantis, who is Trump's possible Republican rival in the run up to the 2024 presidential election, said Bragg is stretching the law to target a political opponent.

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😏 Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has joked about the White House's recent calls for US citizens to immediately leave Russia, saying that they seem to be addressed only to those involved in espionage in favor of Washington.

▪️ Earlier, White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby urged US citizens to leave Russia, following the detention of Wall Street Journal journalist Evan Gershkovich in the country.

💬 "I believe John forgot to add 'involved in espionage' after the words 'US citizens.' This was probably meant between the lines," Zakharova said on Telegram.

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Russia's Skif Satellites to Provide North Pole With Broadband in 2026

Russian Skif-D satellites, the first orbital spacecraft of the Sfera (Sphere) multi-satellite orbital constellation, will provide the North Pole with broadband connection from 2026, Russia's information and navigation systems operator Glonass said.

"Starting in 2026, Russian residents will be able to use the internet at the North Pole. As part of the Sphere project, [Russian] state [space] corporation Roscosmos will provide broadband Internet access in the Arctic zone," the operator told reporters in a statement.

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