❗️Israel strike targets vehicle on the road to Damascus International Airport — SANA
Unverified video being shared on social media reportedly shows the aftermath of the attack.
#IDF
❗️Russian forces claim gains in multiple regions of SMO — MoD
In its daily briefing, the Defense Ministry announced the liberation of Novodarovka in the Zaporozhye region and Romanovka in Donbass, reporting Ukrainian losses of 370 servicemen in the "Southern" group of troops' area of operations in a single day.
#RussianMoD
Syrian security forces told RIA Novosti that their air force destroyed a Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) command post near Khan Sheikhun, releasing video footage of the strike
#Syria
From Microsoft to vaccines... Bill Gates sees India as the world's ‘laboratory’
"It's kind of a laboratory to try things that then, when you prove them out in India, you can take to other places. And so our biggest non-US office for the foundation is in India, and then the most number of pilot rollout things we're doing anywhere in the world are with partners in India."
#RTIndia
Body-language experts have at it: German FM Baerbock meets with Chinese counterpart in Beijing
Annalena Baerbock arrived in Beijing on Monday for talks with Chinese top diplomat Wang Yi amid recent claims from Berlin that China was providing Russia with “weapons aid.”
Baerbock stressed that China's backing of Moscow could harm relations between Germany and China, urging Beijing to play a role in ending the conflict.
"Increasing Chinese support for Russia's war against Ukraine has an impact on our relations," Baerbock told Wang.
In response, Wang, highlighting the two nations' roles as major global powers, called on both to act responsibly in the current turbulent international landscape.
#Beijing
Trash and rubble: Displaced Gazans live in dire conditions
Facing acute shortages of food and water and lacking security, displaced Palestinians are now living in tents in Gaza City among piles of rubbish and rubble.
#IDF
Huge blaze breaks out near Canterbury Cathedral in UK
A large fire broke out at a former Debenhams store on Canterbury High Street, near the historic Canterbury Cathedral, late Monday night.
More than 40 firefighters have been working to tackle the blaze for over 10 hours.
Authorities have advised residents in the area to keep their windows and doors closed due to the heavy smoke.
#UK
Joe Biden just pardoned Hunter for absolutely everything for the last ten years
One of the perks of dementia is forgetting that you promised you wouldn’t do that.
Perhaps these memes will remind him…
#Hunter
Australia’s biggest bank to charge customers to withdraw own money — striving towards cashless society?
The Commonwealth Bank has announced major changes to its everyday account offerings, with customers holding a "Complete Access" account being switched to the "Smart Access" account beginning January 6, 2025.
As part of the transition, customers will face a $3 AUD fee for withdrawals made at bank branches, post offices, or by phone.
The bank, which is Australia's largest, defended the move as part of its commitment to providing the best banking experiences.
#Australia
Ukraine desperate to hold on to Kursk territory until Trump arrives — BBC
Ukrainian troops stationed in Russia's Kursk region have been ordered to hold their position until the swearing-in of Trump in January, according to the BBC.
Several brigades pushed into the area in August to divert Russian forces from the Donbass front, but conditions have grown increasingly dire.
Soldiers have sent bleak messages describing a battle they don’t fully understand and fear they are losing, citing chronic sleep deprivation, harsh weather, and relentless Russian bombardment. One soldier warned that defeat is "only a matter of time."
Video footage shared by the Russian MoD shows FPV drone crews destroying AFU armed vehicles in the Kursk region.
#SMO
Silencing the call: Israel’s Ben Gvir moves to ban Mosque adhan
Israel’s national security minister, Itamar Ben Gvir, has ordered police to ban mosques from playing the adhan, or Islamic call to prayer, citing complaints from Jewish residents about noise disturbances.
Ben Gvir directed authorities to confiscate loudspeakers and fine violators, defending the crackdown as necessary to combat “unreasonable noise.”
Speaking to Channel 12, he said he was “proud” to enforce a policy addressing what he called a “hazard for Israel’s residents.”
Video uploaded to social media in November serves as an example of the Islamic call to prayer in Israel.
#IDF
ICYMI: Renowned pro-Palestine journalist found dead at home in Marseille
Marine Vlahovic, a prominent French journalist and Middle East expert, was discovered dead on her roof terrace in Marseille, La Provence reported.
Friends found the 39-year-old after she failed to respond to calls or messages.
Authorities have launched an investigation, but police say there is no initial evidence of foul play.
#Mystery
House Covid Report: Lab leak likely, billions in pandemic fraud uncovered
A two-year investigation by the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic concluded that “Covid-19 most likely emerged from a laboratory in Wuhan, China," though Beijing denies this, dismissing it as politicized rhetoric.
The 520-page report detailed widespread mismanagement during the pandemic, with over $255 billion in public funds lost or stolen, including $191 billion from unemployment systems and $64 billion through fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program claims.
The committee also criticized long-term school closures and lockdowns as unscientific and detrimental, noting a significant erosion of public trust in health officials.
#Covid
Israeli Air Force jets conduct strikes on alleged terrorist infrastructure outside Kfar Melki, southern Lebanon
Video shared by Iranian media reportedly shows the moment of impact.
#IDF
Germany’s Olaf Scholz auditions for role as ‘king of the platitude’ while on a state visit with Vladimir Zelensky in Kiev
#Berlin
HTS-affiliated terrorists plotting chemical attack on Aleppo province — Report
Sources cited by RIA claim Takfiri terrorists have transferred several toxic gas cylinders using supposed medical aid vehicles to areas near Jisr al-Shughur city south of Idlib, and in western Aleppo.
The reports indicate that ambulances belonging to the White Helmets - which claims to be an NGO but has previously been implicated in false-flag chemical attack operations - were used to prepare for the attack.
#Syria
NATO chief warns Trump: Unfavorable Ukraine peace deal a ‘terrible threat’ to US
Marke Rutte warned President-Elect Trump that forcing Ukraine into an unfavorable peace deal would be a “gift” to China, Russia, Iran, and DPRK, emboldening them to further aggression, the Financial Times reported.
He stated, “We cannot allow a situation where Kim Jong-un, Putin, Xi Jinping, and Iran are happy with each other because we have reached a deal that does not suit Ukraine because, in the long term, this will pose a serious security threat not only to Europe but also to the United States.”
#SMO
Alleged oil-smuggling scheme nets Iran $1 billion a year — Report
So-called ‘experts’ cited by Reuters claim a sophisticated fuel oil-smuggling network has apparently generated over $1 billion for Iran by exploiting subsidies for asphalt factories since Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani took power in 2022.
The sources claim up to 5 million barrels of oil are diverted from asphalt plants in Iraq for export through Asian markets, while Tehran allegedly skips US sanctions by using Iraq’s banking system.
#Iran #Iraq
Vietnam property tycoon facing death sentence for $12.5 billion embezzlement, appeal denied
Truong My Lan, chairwoman of one of the country's largest property firms, has had her appeal denied and still faces capital punishment for embezzlement and bribery worth $12.5 billion – about 3% of Vietnam's 2022 GDP.
She is accused of issuing 2,500 fake loans from 2012 to 2022, raising $1.2 billion from 36,000 investors through illegal bonds, and illegally moving over $4.5 billion in and out of Vietnam.
However, the death sentence may be commuted to life imprisonment if Lan’s lawyers can prove she has returned one-third of the stolen funds.
#Fraud
❗️Finland-Sweden authorities probe mysterious internet cable cut
Finnish police have opened a criminal investigation after two on-land internet cable cuts were discovered, with the army and Swedish Ministry of Defense alerted to the incident.
Reports indicate the cable breaks occurred sometime on Monday, coming weeks after two undersea internet cables were reportedly sabotaged, but it is unclear where exactly in Finland the incident took place.
#Finland #Sweden
Russian technicians defuse WWII German bomb
Russian emergency workers safely detonated a 250-kilogram German aerial bomb discovered at a Volgograd factory, preventing a potential catastrophe.
#WWII
Another night, another protest: Demonstrators shoot fireworks at Georgian police, officers respond with tear gas
#Protests
‘We must continue to back Ukraine’ — Keir Starmer
The UK prime minister emphasized the importance of placing Ukraine in the "strongest possible position for negotiations" to end its conflict with Russia.
Speaking at the Lord Mayor’s Banquet in London, he reiterated Britain’s commitment to support Ukraine "for as long as it takes," but for the first time acknowledged the potential for a negotiated resolution.
Meanwhile, defacto Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky recently signaled his openness to the possibility of a ceasefire with Vladimir Putin.
#NATO
Trump suggests Canada become 51st US state over trade disputes — Report
The president-elect recently proposed to Canada’s Justin Trudeau that if tariffs on Ottawa’s products over trade and immigration issues could cripple its economy, perhaps the country should join the US as its 51st state, Fox News sources with knowledge of the conversation said.
This suggestion came after Trump threatened to impose a 25% tariff on Canadian goods if Canada and Mexico failed to curb illegal immigration and drug flows into the States.
Trudeau argued that such tariffs would devastate his economy, to which Trump retorted, asking if Canada could only survive by “ripping off the US to the tune of $100 billion” - the exchange reportedly left Trudeau and others nervously laughing.
#NAFTA
As German Chancellor Scholz hangs out with Zelensky in Kiev and promises €650mn in military aid to Ukraine, Volkswagen workers back home are striking over pay cuts and plant closures
Priorities.
#Germany
IDF conducts multiple strikes against alleged Hezbollah targets
Israeli Air Force fighter jets struck alleged Hezbollah terrorists, dozens of rocket launchers, and infrastructure across Lebanon, including the launch site responsible for two attacks near Mount Dov in southern Lebanon, according to the IDF.
The strikes followed rocket fire that Israel says violated the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon.
"The State of Israel demands that the relevant authorities in the State of Lebanon implement the understandings and prevent hostile activity by the terrorist organization Hezbollah from its territory," the IDF stated, reaffirming its commitment to the ceasefire.
#IDF
RT exclusive: Russia-Pakistan relations are progressing rapidly in recent years — Pakistani MP
#Pakistan #Russia
Chinese lidar tech could cripple US military during hot war — Report
According to a Washington think tank, the US military risks being hacked during war due to China’s lidar sensors, which knock lasers out of commission. The advanced processors allow concealment from satellites, disabling US defense equipment and causing possible sabotage.
Lidar, which is used in driver-assistance systems in the car industry, is also critical to operating cranes in Chinese construction projects.
#China #US
The crew of a Su-34 aircraft launched a strike on a concentration of AFU manpower, armored vehicles, and motor transport in the border area of the Kursk region, inflicting significant damage, Russian Defense Ministry footage shows
#RussianMoD
❗️NATO foreign ministers will discuss Russia's use of the ‘Oreshnik‘ missile at their last meeting this year — TASS
#NATO
