🔸Biden may send another $1.25Bln package to Ukraine before 2025

🔸Israel reportedly uses its first THAAD missile to shoot down Houthi rocket

🔸US officials predict Kursk will be liberated in months

🔸Ukraine will lose $100Mln a month if stops gas transit from Russia

🔸US will reach new debt limit between Jan 14 and Jan 23 - Yellen

🔸Trump urges Supreme Court to delay TikTok ban law

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'How much of this money will be laundered?' — Rep. Green slams US for more arms supply to Ukraine
 

"How much of this money will [...] find its way into Democrat campaign accounts? [...] We need to stop funding foreign wars and foreign aid," Marjorie Taylor Greene wrote on her X account.

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Trudeau's top cabinet met with Trump's administration to stave off tariffs on Canadian exports

The Canadian foreign and finance ministers met with members of the incoming Trump administration to dissuade the president-elect from imposing tariffs.
 
The CBC channel reports that the Canadian officials tried to convince their American colleagues that the problem of border security, which worries Trump, can be solved.
 
Earlier, Trump threatened to impose 25% duties on all goods imported into the United States from Canada and Mexico if these countries do not limit the flow of drugs and migrants across their borders.

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Canadian PM Trudeau to face one more no-confidence vote amid dwindling approval rating

The Canadian Parliament's Public Accounts Committee will hold a meeting on January 7 to consider a motion of no-confidence in Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government, the panel’s chair, John Williamson, a Conservative, announced.

"It is now clear that the Liberal government does not have the confidence of parliament,” Williamson said in a copy of the letter he posted on X.

Why is Trudeau in hot water?

Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland’s resignation in mid-December further added to pressure on Trudeau to step down amid his government’s free fall in opinion polls.

A new Ipsos poll showed that more than half of Canadians believe opposition parties should defeat the government “at the earliest opportunity” and trigger an early election. The survey also reflected the PM’s diminishing personal popularity, with 77% of respondents saying they think it’s time for a new party to take over.

According to a poll earlier conducted by Nanos Research, at least 41% of Canadians cited the fact that their financial well-being has worsened in the past year, while 57% said someone other than Trudeau should head the Liberals in next year’s election.

The polls were released as the government remains under pressure over increasing cost of living, inflation, migrants and crime.

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🏄‍♂️🌊 Surfer swept away by giant wave in Hawaii

A surfer was swept away by a giant wave of more than eight meters while practicing on the beaches of Peahi, Hawaii. The incident happened while he was trying to master a huge wave known as "Jaws."

During the maneuver, the man lost his balance as his board spun uncontrollably. Lifeguards rushed to his aid, and the man survived.

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Biden spends 570 days on vacation, resulting in 40% of his presidential time spent at leisure
 
US president Joe Biden has spent 570 days on vacations, media counts. Earlier in September, he was reported to R&R (rest and relax) for over 532 days; now this figure has surprisingly soared.
 
However, the calculation was incorrect, Elon Musk thinks, claiming Joe Biden rested the whole year round.
 

"Actual number was 100%," Musk wrote on X.

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🇨🇳🥶🤖Chinese high-tech ice-clearing robot in action
 
China has invented a robot uniquely designed to cut, crush, and remove ice from transmission lines.
 
What a handy tool!

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🇷🇺🪖 Key statements from the Russian MoD daily briefing on the special military operation:
 
◻️ Ukrainian forces lost up to 440 militants in the Zapad battlegroup’s combat zone
 
◻️ Ukrainian losses in the Yug battlegroup area amounted to up to 260 soldiers
 
◻️ As a result of the actions of the Russian Sever and Dnepr battlegroups, Ukrainian forces lost up to 160 servicemen

◻️ Russian air defenses shot down three HIMARS missiles and 104 Ukrainian drones
 
◻️ Ukrainian forces lost up to 160 servicemen and a Leopard tank in the Vostok Battlegroup area
 
◻️ As a result of the actions of the Tsentr Battlegroup, Ukrainian losses amounted to more than 450 soldiers, two tanks (including a Leopard), and three armored vehicles

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What message does the Ukrainian flag have? — US Senator explains
 
Mike Lee urged not to sponsor Ukraine anymore amid news of Biden providing Kiev with a $1.25 billion military aid package.
 

"Please, no more money to Ukraine. There’s only so much they can launder," he wrote on X.

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‘Distorted, false perception of both the whole world and oneself' – Zakharova on the ultra-liberal agenda in the United States
 

“For so many years, Americans have been fooled; for so many years, their own politicians have made idiots of them, telling them that there is a third gender. […] This is a civilizational crisis for the entire Western world,” Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said.

 
She also noted that Trump’s initiative to officially recognize only two genders – male and female – inspires optimism.
 
Nevertheless, “this once again highlights the depth of the crisis,” Zakharova stressed.

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❗️Russia's President Vladimir Putin signed a law under which foreigners will be held accountable for up to 15 years in prison for helping the enemy in activities against the security of Russia

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What a surprise: No top-notch tech found in Western military equipment

No breakthrough innovations have been found in Western military equipment captured during the special military operation and meticulously studied by engineers from Russia's Uralvagonzavod firm, a company representative told Sputnik.

Experts from the facility specifically examined a German Leopard 2A6 tank which was, according to foreign media, taken from the Bundeswehr reserves since these machines were not intended for export. This could suggest the presence of sensitive technologies, however there were none.

"The disassembly and analysis by our engineers of Western equipment captured during the special military operation revealed nothing special in terms of design," said the Uralvagonzavod representative.

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🇷🇺 🪖 Key statements from the Russian Ministry of Defense daily briefing on the situation in the Kursk region:

◻️ Russia’s Battlegroup Sever hit 14 Ukrainian formations in its combat zone.

◻️ Ukrainian forces lost more than 250 servicemen over the day in the Russian Kursk region, the Russian Defense Ministry said.

◻️ Three Ukrainian drones were destroyed over the Kursk region and Crimea in two hours, the ministry added.

◻️ Since the beginning of combat operations in the Kursk region, Ukraine has lost more than 44,820 servicemen.

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New Chinese stealth jet-countering drone crosses the sky

The WZ-9 "Divine Eagle" drone has been spotted in flight. The large, long-range unmanned aerial vehicle is designed to counter stealth aircraft.

The drone's estimated performance specs:

▫️Performs the tasks of an early warning system for air targets

▫️Made using stealth technology

▫️Flight duration of more than 20 hours

▫️Capable of gaining an altitude of about 18 kilometers

Presumably, the WZ-9 recently entered service with the Chinese PLA and became the first radar system to counter inconspicuous targets, thanks to which US F-22, F-35 and B-2 fighter jets will become vulnerable.

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'I am looking for a new GDR with security and border protection' — wish of many Germans

An ad that appeared on the bulletin board in one of the Kaufland supermarkets with "I am looking for a new GDR with security and border protection" has already been signed by many Germans, including the author of the video.

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‘Russia overwhelms Ukraine and NATO’ technology in special op — Part 1 👉 Part 2

The special military operation in 2024 has shown significant advancements by Russia in both technology and logistics, retired US Air Force Lt. Col. Karen Kwiatkowski, a former Pentagon analyst, tells Sputnik.

“Technology-wise and logistics-wise, Russia overwhelms Ukraine and what NATO has provided to Ukraine,” she says.

What contributed to Russia’s progress?

1️⃣ Superior equipment: The Russian military possesses advanced targeting and reconnaissance systems. A notable highlight was the late-year demonstration of the “impressive” Oreshnik missile, which Kwiatkowski describes as unmatched by Western capabilities.

2️⃣ Effective logistics: Russia maintained simple yet efficient logistics, ensuring a steady supply of essential “consumables,” such as ammunition and drones, to its troops.

3️⃣ Increased production despite sanctions: Russia has successfully ramped up the development and production of military equipment despite facing international sanctions.

How did NATO set Ukraine up for failure?

🔶A disparate collection of weapons provided by NATO led to logistical challenges and poor performance.

🔶Ill-advised strikes deep inside Russia triggered retaliatory attacks, severely damaging Ukraine's electrical infrastructure.

🔶A series of provocations failed to trigger Russia into overreacting but backfired through Moscow's precise responses.

Part 1 👉 Part 2

#2024Overview

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‘Russia overwhelms Ukraine and NATO’ technology in special op — Part 2 👉 Part 1

Key Russian gains:

🟠 Advancement rate: Russian forces are advancing at a rate of approximately 30 sq km per day.

🟠 Air defense successes: Russian air defenses intercepted 86 Storm Shadow and SCALP missiles, 215 ATACMS, 1,629 HIMARS projectiles, and over 27,000 drones.

🟠 Territorial gains: The Russian Armed Forces have liberated 4,500 sq km of territory previously occupied by the Ukrainian military, including over 190 settlements and key strategic towns like Avdeyevka and Ugledar.

🟠 Territory control: Kiev currently controls less than 1% of the Lugansk People's Republic and 25-30% of the Donetsk People's Republic, Zaporozhye, and Kherson regions.

🟠 Destroyed equipment: Over 58,000 units of Ukrainian military equipment have been destroyed, including 18,000 foreign weapons.

🟠 Ukrainian losses: In 2024, the Ukrainian Armed Forces suffered over 560,000 casualties (killed and wounded), with over 40,000 troops lost near Kursk alone.

Part 2 👉 Part 1

#2024Overview

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🫣WARNING: Two hoofed robbers dropped in on Brazilian bakery
 
Two horses surprised customers as they entered a bakery in the southern Brazilian state of Santa Catarina, trying to "steal" bread.
 
The animals were spotted wandering between the aisles of the establishment by a customer, who captured the peculiar moment on video. One of the horses came to take a loaf with his teeth but dropped it before the employees chased him out of the business premises.

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