🇿🇦🇵🇸 South Africa's Ramaphosa condemns Israeli military actions in Gaza, calls for an end to the "barbaric war"

🗣 "As nations, we know too well the pain of having our lands colonized and our people oppressed. South Africa and Algeria stand firm in our support for the Palestinian people’s quest for self-determination. Israel’s barbaric war on the people of Gaza must end," President Cyril Ramaphosa said during a recent address to the Algerian parliament.

Ramaphosa highlighted the suffering inflicted upon Gaza's civilian population, saying, "The killing of women, children, and non-combatants; the bombardment of homes, schools, and hospitals; and the denial of humanitarian aid is a stain on the conscience of the world."

🗣 "We cannot turn a blind eye to this injustice," he added. "We have a responsibility to stop this genocide. Israel must be held accountable for its crimes against the people of Gaza."

👉 In December 2023, South Africa filed a case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ). The case, which has garnered support from several nations including Turkey, Nicaragua, Palestine, Spain, Mexico, Libya, and Colombia, accuses Israel of violating the 1948 Genocide Convention.

In November this year, The Hague-based International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrests warrant against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.

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#sputnikviral |🎄A 90-year-old spruce felled in the Moscow region to become the main New Year's tree of Russia

Its selection was made according to strict parameters: shape, volume of needles, condition of branches, appearance.

The height of the tree is 25 meters, the diameter of the trunk is 60 centimeters and the span of the branches is 8 meters, a Sputnik correspondent reported.

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🇹🇿 Tanzanian president announces major cabinet reshuffle and key appointments

Key changes introduced by President Samia Suluhu Hassan include a restructuring that merges the information sector with the Ministry of Culture, Arts, and Sports.

👉 Other notable ministerial appointments include:

🟠 Prof. Palamagamba Kabudi has been appointed to lead this new combined Ministry of Information, Culture, Arts, and Sports;
🟠 Jerry William Silaa as Minister of Communication and Information Technology;
🟠 Dr. Damas Daniel Ndumbaro (MP) as Minister of Constitution and Law;
🟠 Hamad Yusuf Masauni as Union and Environment Minister in the Office of the Vice President;
🟠 Innocent Bashungwa replaces Masauni at the Ministry of Home Affairs;
🟠 Dr. Ashatu Kijaji as Minister of Livestock and Fisheries;
🟠 Abdallah Ulega as Minister of Works.

The reshuffle also affects several high-ranking officials. Gerson Msigwa returns as Chief Government Spokesperson, a position he previously held, while simultaneously serving as Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Culture, Arts, and Sports. Dr. James Henry Kilabuko is the new Permanent Secretary in the Prime Minister's Office (Policy, Parliament, and Coordination). Further changes are also implemented within deputy permanent secretary roles in the Ministries of Agriculture and Industry and Trade.

The newly appointed officials will be sworn in on Tuesday at State House in Tunguu, Zanzibar.

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📹 A Ukrainian POW tells Sputnik the story of how he was forcibly mobilized and sent to fight in Russia's Kursk region

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🇸🇾❓ What is known about the Syrian crisis so far?

🔘 The Syrian opposition hopes for positive relations with the international community and its neighbors in order to build a civil, independent, and democratic state on the basis of UNSC Resolution 2254, Ahmed Toma, head of Syria’s armed opposition delegation to the Astana talks, told Sputnik.

“We have no obstacles to cooperation if these relations are based on the principle of mutual respect. We seek normal relations with everyone, including Moscow,” he said.

🔘 US CENTCOM reported over 75 airstrikes against ISIS* in central Syria “to ensure that ISIS does not seek to take advantage of the current situation.”

🔘 The Syrian armed opposition has informed Washington via Turkiye that it will not allow ISIS* to join their actions against the overthrown Syrian government, the NY Times reported, citing unnamed US and Turkish officials.

🔘 The UN Security Council will convene Monday afternoon for an emergency closed-door meeting regarding Syria at Russia’s request.

How has the world reacted?

▪️ US: Joe Biden said that Washington “will work with our partners and the stakeholders in Syria to help them seize an opportunity to manage the risk.”

▪️ Iran: Tehran respects Syria’s unity and national sovereignty and calls for “the swift end of military conflicts, the prevention of terrorist actions, and the commencement of national dialogue” with all sectors of Syrian society, the Iranian Foreign Ministry noted.

▪️ Lebanon: Units “tasked with monitoring and controlling the northern and eastern borders [with neighboring Syria] have been reinforced, in conjunction with tightening surveillance measures,” per the country’s military.

▪️ Israel: Upon seizing a buffer zone in the Golan Heights, Israel “will not allow any hostile force to establish itself on our border,” PM Benjamin Netanyahu said.

▪️ UN: “The future of Syria is a matter for the Syrians to determine, and my Special Envoy will be working with them towards that end,” Secretary-General Antonio Guterres noted.

*terrorist organization banned in Russia and other countries

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📌 Major world events by the morning of December 9

🟠 The Israeli army entered Syrian territory outside the Golan Heights over the weekend for the first time in more than half a century, the US media reported, citing two Israeli officials;

🟠 US President-elect Donald Trump said that Volodymyr Zelensky wants a ceasefire and peace;

🟠 South Korea's President Yoon Suk-yeol is to be banned from leaving the country amid an investigation into the temporary imposition of martial law, according to the local media;

🟠 The Russian Federal Security Service uncovered an international network of call centers in Russia that worked in the interests of the former Georgian Defense Minister and founder of Milton Group Kezerashvili; Security forces detained 11 managers and employees of the Russian offices of the fraudulent call center network;

🟠 Russian air defenses intercepted and destroyed 13 Ukrainian drones over the Russian Belgorod, Rostov and Astrakhan regions overnight, the country's MoD reported.

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#sputnikviral |🇺🇸🇬🇪 US President-elect Donald Trump had mixed emotions after shaking hands with Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili

The two politicians met during the opening ceremony of the restored Notre Dame cathedral in Paris

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🇮🇷🇸🇾 Tehran expects relations with Damascus to continue on the basis of common interests

🗣 "The relationship between the Iranian and Syrian nations has deep historical roots and has always been friendly. It is expected that this relationship will continue with a wise and forward-looking approach by both nations, based on mutual interests and adherence to international legal obligations," the Iranian Foreign Ministry said on Sunday, following the collapse of the government in Damascus.

Tehran will "spare no effort to help establish security and stability in Syria," for which purpose it will continue consultations with all influential parties in the region, the ministry said.

Moreover, the ministry said that a solution for Syria's future requires an immediate end to military conflicts, the prevention of terrorism, as well as the start of a national dialogue that includes all parts of society.

🗣 "Achieving this requires the immediate cessation of military conflicts, prevention of terrorist activities, and the initiation of national dialogue involving all segments of Syrian society to establish an inclusive governance structure that represents all Syrians," the ministry added.

Iran reiterated its commitment to Syria's unity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity. The ministry stated that Syria's future and decisions regarding its destiny are solely the responsibility of the Syrian people, and should not be subject to external interference.

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🇷🇺 Ukraine's high losses at the front could lead Kiev to lower conscription age to 18 and enforce stricter mobilization rules, Kremlin spokesperson states

🗣 "The real figures for losses are completely different. Ukrainian losses are many times higher than the losses on the Russian side. Further continuation of such rates will lead to the complete depletion of the Ukrainian army and a lowering of the mobilization age to 18 years, as well as stricter forced mobilization," Dmitry Peskov told reporters when commenting on the figures used by Trump.

The situation for the Ukrainian army on the front is becoming catastrophic, Peskov added.

🗣 "As for the given figures on losses on both sides, it is obvious that they are presented in the Ukrainian interpretation and reflect the official position of Ukraine," Peskov told reporters.

Peskov stated that Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly affirmed Russia's openness to negotiations on Ukraine, welcoming peace initiatives from BRICS nations and humanitarian actors like the UAE, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia.

Putin's June peace proposals for Ukraine included Ukrainian troop withdrawals and a NATO-membership renunciation. Following Ukrainian attacks in August, however, he deemed negotiations impossible, although the proposals remain technically open.

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🇷🇺🇸🇾 Russian UN mission has many questions about the events unfolding in Syria, says deputy envoy

🗣 "We in New York are closely monitoring the situation, everyone, not just us, has many questions about what happened and what is happening," Deputy Russian Ambassador to the UN Dmitry Polyansky told Sputnik on Sunday, commenting on the current situation in the UN following following the fall of President Bashar Assad's government.

The diplomat added that the Russian mission will request clarifications in the coming days on what has happened in Syria, including via the UN presence on the ground.

🗣 "We will clarify them [our questions] in the coming days and more clearly understand the situation, including with the help of the UN presence on the ground," Polyansky said.

In the same vein, the United Nations has been winding down its presence in and around Damascus after armed Syrian opposition fighters seized control of the Syrian capital, according to a UN official. "We are temporarily reducing our staff footprint in the Damascus area," the official said.

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🇸🇳 Doha Forum 2024: ECOWAS needs reforms to fight terrorism, says Senegalese president

🗣 "Terrorism can happen anywhere. The successes we have achieved with ECOWAS through various mechanisms should not be downplayed against the challenges of governance, which needs to be reformed. Through ECOWAS, we can address these challenges […] The Confederation of Sahel States [Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger] is facing challenges," President Bassirou Diomaye Faye said at the Doha Forum 2024 in Qatar.

In July, the presidents of Mali (Colonel Asimi Goita), Niger (Brigadier General Abderrahmane Chiani) and Burkina Faso (Ibrahim Traoré) signed a charter in Niger's capital, Niamey, establishing the Confederation of Sahel States to coordinate diplomacy and foreign policy after the three countries announced their withdrawal from ECOWAS on January 28.

Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso, which are the most affected by terrorist and armed gang activities in the Sahel region, cited the failure of the Economic Community of West African States to combat terrorism as the reason for their withdrawal.

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🇸🇾 ♥️ What is known about the situation in Syria at the moment

▪️ The Russian Foreign Ministry reported that President al-Assad left Syria after negotiations with the parties to the conflict and gave instructions on the need for a peaceful transfer of power;

▪️ Al-Assad's location is currently unknown;

▪️ Local Syrian media reported that a curfew was declared in Damascus from 4 pm to 5 am local time;

▪️ Damascus International Airport was temporarily closed, and all flights were canceled;

▪️ The Israeli defense minister said that Israel deployed troops in a buffer zone with Syria to protect Israelis in the Golan Heights after Netanyahu announced the termination of the 1974 Golan disengagement agreement;

▪️ Syrian media reports the looting and destruction of al-Assad's palace and looting in the Central Bank of Syria in Damascus;

▪️ The building of the Immigration and Passport Directorate in Damascus completely burned down (in the video above);

▪️ The Syrian armed opposition told Sputnik that it seeks to form a national government that will include representatives of all strata of the Syrian people and through which diplomatic relations with other countries will be established;

▪️ Syrian armed opposition said it now has channels of communication with the Russian government;

▪️ Militants of the Syrian opposition reportedly entered Tartus in northwestern Syria;

▪️ Armed opposition groups have entered most villages and towns on the Syrian coast and have begun meeting with prominent figures and the population of these areas.

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🇳🇪🌍 Niger welcomes Burkina Faso, Mali and Togo for the first time to its International Women's Crafts Fair (SAFEM)

With the participation of these three countries, this year's SAFEM demonstrates the event's growing regional importance, Nigerien Prime Minister Ali Mahaman Lamine Zeine said at the opening of the fair.

🗣 "This is a great opportunity for SAFEM to learn from the experience of other countries, to improve its offering and to be even more influential internationally," he stated.

The event focuses on promoting intellectual property and accelerating the financial inclusion of women artisans.

This requires special attention, because women's creativity "provides society with countless tools, instruments and services that are essential to daily life," said Nigerien Minister of Crafts and Tourism Sofiane Aghaichata Guichene.

Furthermore, SAFEM strengthens Niger's industrial sovereignty and aims to "promote women's crafts by providing a supportive environment for their professional development."

The 13th edition of the exhibition runs from December 6 to 15 at the Palais du 29 Juillet in Niamey.

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🇰🇪🇺🇬🇷🇼🇨🇩 Kenya announces standard gauge railway extension to Uganda, Rwanda, and DR Congo

This ambitious project was announced by Kenyan President William Ruto at the opening ceremony of the 14th East African Community Inter-Parliamentary Games in the coastal city Mombasa in southeastern Kenya, saying that it aims to significantly boost economic integration and bilateral ties within the region.

🗣 "The Speaker informed us that they used the SGR with 140 MPs from the Kenyan Parliament to Mombasa," Ruto said at the opening of the games. "I want to give you more good news […] the SGR will be extended from Naivasha to Uganda, and Rwanda to DRC so that in a few years, they too can use the SGR when they want to come to Mombasa."

President Ruto noted that the use of the SGR saved a considerable amount of taxpayer money compared to air travel, estimating a threefold reduction in costs. This successful trial run served as a demonstration of the SGR’s potential.

The SGR extension is anticipated to occur in phases, with the Ugandan leg, running from the Kenyan city of Malaba to Kampala, the capital of Uganda, set to begin in January 2024. This segment alone is expected to take two years to complete, covering a distance of 272 kilometers and reducing goods transit time from the current 14 days to just 24 hours.

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🇸🇾 Looting has begun in Latakia, the principal port city of Syria, amid the situation in the country

The government quarter of Damascus was also subjected to massive looting.

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🌍 G20 must contribute to efforts to overcome the complex geopolitical crisis that has plunged the entire world, South African foreign minister says

The entire architecture of international organizations needs to be updated to make it more effective in dealing with crises and shocks, South African Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Ronald Lamola said, opening the first Sherpa meeting of South Africa's Group of Twenty Presidency.

South Africa's G20 priorities for the next year, as discussed at the Sherpa meeting, include global economic growth, debt relief for developing nations (especially African countries), food security, and AI-driven sustainable development.

The Sherpa meeting, at which a package of documents will be prepared for further consideration by the G20 foreign ministers, will last two days. On December 11, a two-day meeting of deputy finance ministers and central banks of the G20 countries will open in Johannesburg.

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🇪🇬 Archaeologists have discovered coins depicting Cleopatra and a white marble bust in Egypt, the country's Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities reports

A joint Egyptian-Dominican archaeological mission made a discovery under the southern wall of the Temple of Taposiris Magna west of Alexandria dating back to the Hellenistic period of ancient Egypt, the ministry said.

The excavations revealed a small white marble bust of a woman adorned with a royal crown, as well as a limestone bust of a king wearing a nemes, a traditional headdress from ancient times, the ministry noted.

Archaeologists have different opinions about who the woman in the bust is. Some think it's Cleopatra herself, while others believe it could be one of the princesses from the Ptolemaic dynasty.

The ministry also reported the discovery of 337 coins, some of which depicted Cleopatra VII. Other finds included pottery, lamps, figurines, and a scarab amulet. Additionally, the ruins of a Greek temple dating back to the 4th century BC were uncovered.

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🇷🇺 Russia's diplomatic spokeswoman accuses Western media of spreading fakes regarding the "death" of Bashar al-Assad

"I wonder if Reuters, which reported on Assad's "highly likely" death, will confute its report?" Maria Zakharova wrote on Telegram. "This is exactly the spread of fakes that the West is so zealously fighting."

Reuters published an article on Assad's arrival in Moscow, reported by the Russian foreign ministry, several hours after Zakharova's post.

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🇿🇼 Zimbabwe's National Air Ambulance Service boasts 100% success rate, state media reports

The country's air ambulance service, operated by Helidrive Zim, the local branch of the Russian firm Helidrive, has successfully airlifted 187 patients since August 2024, mainly from rural Mashonaland provinces to major hospitals in Harare and Chinhoyi.

The Zimbabwean air ambulance service achieved a zero-fatality record, attributed by medical director Freddy Mhondiwa to its highly competent staff and well-equipped aircraft.

Helidrive Zim's nationwide air ambulance service, supporting President Mnangagwa's modernization goals, is training over 150 local professionals, including pilots, doctors and nurses, to operate its six aircraft, providing timely emergency medical transport.

Zimbabwe's National Air Ambulance Service, utilizing a fleet of 18 Russian-made helicopters delivered in May 2023, is being supported by Russian specialists and HeliDrive's training program.

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🇲🇾🌍 Malaysia officially accepted an invitation to become a BRICS partner country, the country's envoy says

Malaysian Ambassador to Russia, Cheong Loon Lai confirmed to Russian media that Malaysia received an official invitation in mid-November and responded positively to Moscow, the current BRICS chair.

👉 This follows a recent BRICS summit in Kazan, where Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that a list of prospective partner countries had been agreed upon, although he did not reveal the full list at that time.

Putin explained that invitations would be sent, and the final list of partner countries would be announced after receiving positive responses.

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🇧🇫 Burkina Faso: Formation of a new government

Burkina Faso's new Prime Minister Rimtalba Jean Emmanuel Ouédraogo, appointed on Saturday, unveiled his 24-member government on Sunday.

Key appointments include:

Minister of National Defense and Veterans: Brigadier General Célestin Simporé
Minister of Civil Service, Labor, and Social Protection: Mathias Traoré (former Secretary General of the Government)
Minister of Humanitarian Action: Commander Pélagie Kaboré
Minister of Communication, Culture, Arts and Tourism, and the government spokesperson: Pingdwendé Gilbert Ouédraogo
Secretary General of the Government and Council of Ministers: Ousmane Ouattara

Other ministerial departments remain unchanged.

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#sputnikviral | 🦫🇨🇿 The Czech city of Pilsen is fighting a nutria invasion

Pilsen's nutria population explosion, fueled by residents feeding them despite warnings, has prompted Mayor Aleš Tolar to plead with citizens to stop, citing health risks.

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#sputnikviral | 🛬 The Ryanair pilot demonstrates exceptional skills when landing at Manchester Airport despite strong winds caused by Storm Darragh

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❗️ Syria's al-Assad and his family members arrived in Moscow, Russia provided them with asylum, Sputnik reported, citing sources in the Kremlin

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🇮🇱🇸🇾 Israel will closely monitor the developments in Syria and will do everything to protect Israel's borders and security, the country's prime minister states

Israel will remain committed to its good neighborhood policy with all peoples living in Syria, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said.

Netanyahu cited the example of the hospital built in the Golan Heights field, which provided assistance to thousands of Syrian civilians. He emphasized that he extends a hand of peace to all Syrians who wish to live in peaceful coexistence with Israel.

🗣 "Prime Minister [Netanyahu] and I with the approval of the Cabinet of ministers ordered the IDF to occupy the buffer zone and the dominating positions, to ensure security of all Israeli settlements on the Golan heights – Jewish and Druze ones – in order not to expose them to threats coming from the other side of the border," Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said on Sunday.

Netanyahu and Katz visited Mount Bental in the Golan Heights on Sunday morning.

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❗️ The Arab League urges support for the Syrian people and the end of sanctions, according to the statement

The league reiterated its support for the Syrians and called for tolerance and dialogue.

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🇳🇬 Nigeria's House of Representatives is considering a bill to limit the number of federal ministers to 37, local media reports

This measure reportedly aims to reduce costs and improve efficiency in the cabinet of President Bola Tinubu, which currently consists of 45 ministers.

The federal lawmaker Mansur Manu Soro, told the media that reducing the cost of governance is crucial. He suggested addressing inequality in the number of ministers appointed from each state and eliminating overlapping mandates among ministers. In his opinion, "a minister per state is enough while also considering the Federal Capital Territory."

The lawmaker argued that the president can utilize other government positions for technocrats, questioning the fairness of some states having multiple ministers while others have only one.

The proposed legislation before the committee seeks to guarantee equitable participation from all regions in the leadership of the National Assembly.

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🇸🇴🇸🇸🇷🇺 Somalia and South Sudan intend to purchase flour and sunflower oil from Russia's Voronezh region

Logistics manager Tiser Al-Nasser told Sputnik on the sidelines of the Food Africa 2024 forum in Cairo, Egypt.

According to him, contacts have also been established with Kenyan coffee suppliers who are interested in exporting their production to Russia.

In addition, during the forum's discussions, "a lot of attention was paid to logistics and money transfers in the context of sanctions," Tiser Al-Nasser added.

The creation of free trade zones, for example in Egypt, "seems to be the most effective solution," he explained.

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🇬🇭🗳 Ghana's former President John Dramani Mahama wins presidential election

In a brief but significant televised address from his official residence, Ghana's Vice President and ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) candidate, Mahamudu Bawumia, acknowledged the victory of former President John Dramani Mahama and his opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC).

🗣 "Let me say that the data from our own internal collation of the election results indicate that former President John Dramani Mahama has won the Presidential election decisively," he said. "The NDC has also won the parliamentary election. Even though we await final collation of a number of seats, I believe ultimately these will not change the outcome."

Bawumia personally called Mahama to offer his congratulations, highlighting his commitment to a peaceful and democratic transfer of power. Mahama, for his part, described his win as an "emphatic victory" and confirmed receiving Bawumia's call.

🗣 "I am making this concession speech before the official announcement by the Electoral Commission to avoid further tension and preserve the peace of our country," Bawumia said. "It is important that the world investor community continues to believe in the peaceful and democratic character of Ghana […] The people have voted for change at this time, and we respect that decision with all humility."

The election, held on Saturday, saw Ghanaians vote for a new president and 276 members of parliament. The Electoral Commission is yet to release the official final results.

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#sputnikviral |🇨🇴✈️ A passenger records the moment of an engine explosion on a plane of the Colombian airline Avianca

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