US strikes weapon, logistics objects of Iran-backed group in Syria – CENTCOM

US forces on Wednesday struck a weapon storage and a logistics headquarters of an Iran-aligned militia group in Syria, the US Central Command said.

The armed conflict in Syria has been ongoing since 2011, with insurgent groups, including terrorists, fighting to overthrow President Bashar Assad's government. Despite protests from Damascus, Washington supports Kurdish armed groups in Syria. The US military controls parts of Al-Hasakah, Raqqa, Aleppo, and Deir ez-Zor, home to Syria’s largest oil and gas fields.

The Syrian government rejects the autonomous administration of northern and eastern Syria and considers the US military presence as occupation and state piracy for stealing Syrian oil. In 2022, Syrian Foreign Minister Faysal Mikdad estimated $107 billion in damages to the country’s oil and gas industry over 11 years of war, vowing to seek reparations from the US.

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🇺🇬🇷🇺🇷🇺 Uganda wants to discuss building nuclear power plant with Russia - foreign minister

Uganda wants to start talks with Russia on building a nuclear power plant in the country, Ugandan Foreign Minister Jeje Odongo told RIA Novosti on Wednesday.

"As Africa grows, the demand for energy grows. It is particularly important for industrialization... We prioritize the opportunities of nuclear energy. And we look forward to discussions with any partner that could help us build such capabilities, including Russia," Odongo said.

While the talks themselves have not yet begun, Kampala has already conveyed its intentions to Moscow, Odongo said, adding that he may discuss the matter with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in December.

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🇲🇱 West uses Ukraine to achieve geopolitical goals in Africa – Mali's Foreign Minister

Mali believes that Western countries are using Ukraine and its cooperation with terrorists to pursue geopolitical goals in Africa, Malian Foreign Minister Abdoulaye Diop told Sputnik.

"We are convinced that Ukraine is probably just the tip of the iceberg, with other powers in the region and beyond using Ukraine itself to achieve geopolitical goals in our region," the minister said.

The investigation into Kiev's involvement in supporting terrorism in Mali is ongoing, and there is no doubt about Ukraine's involvement, Diop added.

At the same time, Mali, according to him, has never been hostile to Ukraine and cannot understand the reason for Kiev's aggression, especially its cooperation with terrorist groups. The world, Diop warned, will make a serious mistake if it fails to respond to such actions by Kiev.

"We believe that Ukraine is fighting the wrong fight because Mali has never shown hostility towards Ukraine. We do not understand why Ukraine is turning into an aggressor state in Mali by cooperating with terrorist groups," the foreign minister emphasized.

Earlier, French media, citing a military source in Mali, reported that terrorists from the alliance of Malian armed separatist groups CSP-DPA had traveled to Ukraine to receive training. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told Sputnik that Kiev, unable to defeat Russia on the battlefield, had decided to open a "second front" in Africa by supporting terrorist groups in Russia-friendly African states.

On August 5, Mali severed diplomatic relations with Ukraine, citing Kiev's support for local terrorists. Niger followed suit on August 8, also announcing a break in relations with Kiev.

On August 21, Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger asked UN Security Council to take action over Ukraine's support of terrorism in Africa, but the UN "has not even acknowledged receiving the complaint," according to Diop.

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📹💥The crew of the TOS-1A "Solntsepek" of the Russian Zapad Battlegroup destroyed the strongholds and shelters of the Ukrainian forces in the special military operation zone

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Ukraine disturbed over ‘no place’ for Mike Pompeo in new Trump team – report

Kiev is concerned about the fact that former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will not be part of the new US administration following Donald Trump’s election victory, The Economist reports.

Senior Ukrainian officials “were disturbed” when Trump announced “there would be no place for Pompeo, seen as more sympathetic [to Ukraine]”, the media adds, quoting one of the officials as saying that it is “a very negative development."

“The worry now is that Trump’s offer to Ukraine will come to resemble something closer to ideas put forward by J.D. Vance, the incoming vice president," something that “would essentially rule out [Ukraine’s] NATO membership", among other things, the report also said.

This comes after the president-elect denied media reports about his intention to nominate Pompeo as the new secretary of defense.

“I will not be inviting former Ambassador Nikki Haley or former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to join the Trump administration, which is currently in formation,” Donald Trump wrote on the Truth Social network earlier.

Pompeo earlier came up with a so-called “peace plan” for Ukraine, claiming in his op-ed for the Wall Street Journal that in case of his victory, he would set up a $500 billion “lend-lease” program for the Kiev regime, lifting all restrictions on the type of weapons it can obtain and use against Russia.

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🔸Ukraine disturbed over ‘no place’ for Mike Pompeo in new Trump team – report

🔸Musk, Ramaswamy to lead US Department of Government Efficiency

🔸UK may send troops to Ukraine if US cuts funding – Boris Johnson

🔸Pentagon leaker sentenced to 15 years

🔸Trump picks new Secretary of Defense, CIA head

🔸West uses Ukraine to achieve geopolitical goals in Africa – Mali's Foreign Minister

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❗️In the Russia's city of Nizhny Tagil, a pro-Ukrainian terrorist planned to set fire to a substation supporting the military industry and the railway infrastructure, the Russian Federal Security Service informed.
 
The arrested attacker confessed; items for making homemade incendiary devices were seized from him, and correspondence with Ukrainian special services was found in his Telegram account.

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THROWBACK: Pete Hegseth, Trump's pick for Secretary of Defense on the 'eternal, unbreakable bond' between Jews and Americans
 

"What Western civilization represents today, is an understanding that Zionism and Americanism are the front lines of Western civilization, and freedom in our world today," he said.

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THROWBACK: Trump's pick for CIA Director, John Ratcliffe, said that when dealing with 'terrorists like Iran', it's best to 'put a foot on their throat'

“What Israel has done is essentially employ the Trump doctrine, a pressure, maximum pressure campaign, understanding that the only way to deter terrorists like Iran and their proxies is to put your foot on their throat. And Israel has done that. We should be assisting Israel in doing so.”

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⚡️Russian President Vladimir Putin will hold a final big press conference, which will be combined with a direct line, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

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❗️The Russian troops treat civilians very carefully during the special military operation, unlike the Ukrainian troops, the Kremlin emphasized, commenting on Ukraine's statement about the intensification of strikes on its territory

The Kremlin stressed that:

🔺Strikes are carried out only on military targets

🔺The dynamics of the special military operation are intensifying

🔺The operation is in full swing

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❗️Russian troops liberated the village of Rovnopol in the Donetsk People's Republic, the Russian Defense Ministry announced

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🇷🇺🪖 Key statements from the Russian Defense Ministry's daily briefing on the special military operation's progress:

▪️The Russian Armed Forces hit military airfield and energy facility infrastructure of Ukraine's military-industrial complex;

▪️Ukrainian losses amounted to up to 500 people and five warehouses in one day in the area of responsibility of Russia’s Battlegroup Zapad;

▪️Russian air defenses shot down three Hammer aerial bombs, one HIMARS missile and 85 Ukrainian drones in one day;

▪️Ukrainian losses amounted to 720 militants and two tanks in one day as a result of the actions of Russia’s Battlegroup Yug;

▪️Ukrainian losses amounted to 480 militants, a tank and three combat armored vehicles in one day in the area Russia’s Battlegroup Tsentr;

▪️Ukrainian losses amounted to 65 militants and an Enclave-N electronic warfare station due to the actions of Russia’s Battlegroup Dnepr.

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😲🏎Unique collection of luxury cars in mini versions
 
A Vietnamese has assembled a collection of Lamborghini Sian, Bugatti Centidieci, BMW 328 Hommage, Chevrolet Corvette C8, Ford Mustang and other popular car models such as Toyota Land Cruiser, Audi Q7, Range Rover and Ford F-150, with the cost of each model reaching 250 million dong (about $9,900).
 
He plans to showcase his cars at exhibitions in the future, and donate money from their sale to charities.

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Jennifer Lopez was at the center of ‘monstrous obscurantism’ and now wants to lecture on politics – Russian Foreign Ministry

Having been at the “epicenter of events that are now legally criminalized in the American society,” Lopez now “enters the political discourse without any arguments,” Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on the star’s political comments.

“She knew out them, but she didn't say a word, she didn't warn a single person, either in her inner circle or in the wider public, that it was dangerous.”

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