🇺🇸 Who is Newly-Elected US House Speaker Mike Johnson?

On Wednesday, the US House of Representatives broke weeks of deadlock and elected a new speaker, enabling the chamber to continue with its essential business, the most important of which is passing a 2024 budget.

The man selected by the narrow Republican majority was US Rep. Mike Johnson, who has represented Louisiana’s 4th congressional district since 2017. Having only been in Congress for six years, he has the shortest House tenure of any speaker in 140 years.

Johnson isn’t exactly a household name in the United States, unlike several other GOP stalwarts who failed to gather the votes to become speaker. So, who is House Speaker Mike Johnson? Sputnik explains.

📹 A Yars intercontinental ballistic missile was launched from the Plesetsk state testing cosmodrome to hit the Kura training ground in Kamchatka during training with the ground, sea, and air components of Russia’s nuclear deterrence forces

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❗Authorities in Maine launch manhunt after receiving active shooter reports in the cities of Lewiston and Auburn. Unconfirmed reports have suggested multiple people have been killed

What is Known So Far About Maine Mass Shootings?

➡️ 'Person of interest' identified as a 40-year-old who remains at-large; no motive established

➡️ Early unconfirmed figures suggest at least 22 people were killed, between 50 and 60 individuals injured

➡️ Shootings took place at a bowling alley, bar restaurant and Walmart distribution center

➡️ Active lockdown remains in place in Lewiston, Maine, and surrounding areas

The FBI has maintained over 40 confidential sources over criminal matters related to the Biden family, report says, citing information obtained by Republican Senator Chuck Grassely

According to the report, Grassley learned that an FBI task force within the Washington Field office occasionally shut down reporting and information on Biden, James Biden, and Hunter Biden by multiple FBI offices by falsely discrediting the information as "foreign disinformation," causing any investigations related to the the family to cease.

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Maine State Police say they have identified Robert Card (in the pic) in the Lewiston mass shooting but are not yet ready to identify him as a suspect

Law enforcement officials do not yet have the exact number of victims.

Card was a weapons instructor with a history of mental health problems and had previously threatened to commit similar acts, local media reported.

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The Israeli Defense Forces carried out a tank raid in northern Gaza in preparation for the next phases of fighting

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🌐 On the darknet, Ukrainians sell weapons and explosives previously supplied to Kiev by the West

C4, for example, starts at $800. The seller offers anonymous delivery throughout Ukraine.

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🤖🐶 US Marines are testing robot dogs, American media reported

An electric "pet" with an artificial intelligence system can carry an anti-tank missile launcher and can be equipped with video cameras, guidance lasers and other equipment.

The "four-legged" device executes voice commands, runs at speeds of up to 16 km/h, climbs inclines and can handle the recoil of a 21 mm artillery shell.

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📹 Footage showing the use of Russia's latest Malva installation, capable of automated firing of all types of ammunition and operating in the “fire raid” mode

The new truck-mounted artillery system was developed by the Burevestnik Central Research Institute, which is part of the Russian Uralvagonzavod corporation. The artillery unit is based on wheeled chassis, and, according to the developers, the maximum firing range of the Malva self-propelled howitzer should reach 24.5 kilometers (15 miles).

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A summit for the heads of government of SCO member states has commenced in Kyrgyzstan

🌐 Present at the summit are:
▪️ Kyrgyzstan’s Cabinet of Ministers Chairman
▪️ Belarus, Kazakhstan, China, Mongolia, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan heads of government
▪️Iranian Vice President
▪️Turkmenistan’s Deputy Cabinet Chairman
▪️Indian and Pakistani Foreign Ministers

🌏 During the council meeting, discussions will revolve around strategies to enhance cooperation in areas such as trade, economics, culture, and humanitarian affairs within the framework of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.

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The new Speaker of the US House of Representatives, Mike Johnson, never mentioned Ukraine among the House's priorities in his opening speech. Instead, he referred to Israel as the US' biggest ally in the Middle East.

▪️ In recent times, Johnson has taken a skeptical stance toward aid for Ukraine. He voted against two different appropriations bills that provided aid to Ukraine, one in 2022 and another last month.

▪️ Johnson has shown strong support for Israel amid its conflict with the Palestinian militant group Hamas.

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🇮🇷 The head of the Iranian Foreign Ministry flew to New York to hold international consultations against the backdrop of the escalating conflict between Palestine and Israel and the possible expansion of this regional conflict

Amir-Abdollahian noted that Israel's attacks have reached such an intensity, which indicates that the regime's goal is the mass murder of the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip.

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❗️ LIVE NOW: Russian FM Lavrov takes part in conference on Eurasian security

Join the live stream here or follow this link to Sputnik's website

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🥴 Elon Musk called "fools" those American politicians who seek new financial and military aid to Ukraine

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📹 The Israeli army reportedly struck over 250 Hamas targets in 24 hours and released a video showing the destruction

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📹 Russia's engineering combat units continue demining of areas in the zone of the special military operation

Every day, the servicemen respond to dozens of appeals from local residents who have found rockets, Ukrainian ammunition and other explosive objects in the liberated areas.

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🇸🇰 Robert Fico, who became prime minister of Slovakia yesterday, asserted that Bratislava will not provide military assistance to Ukraine

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