Mali: Russia’s cultural diplomacy agency Rossotrudnichestvo said work is underway to open a Russian Science and Culture Centre in the country.

Indians are getting ready to welcome Putin.

He appears to be quite popular in the country.

BREAKING: Yasser Abu Shabab, the commander of the Gaza militia east of Rafah — who had cooperated with Israel in recent months and heads an organization calling itself the Popular Forces — was killed by assassins.

NEW: French President Macron warned that the U.S. might “betray” Ukraine in ongoing peace talks with Moscow, according to a leaked trannoscript reported by Der Spiegel.

During a call with European leaders — including Germany’s Friedrich Merz, NATO’s Mark Rutte, Finland’s Alexander Stubb and Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky — several participants voiced concern that U.S. negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner were pushing a peace plan too favorable to Russia.

Macron allegedly said Washington could compromise Ukrainian territory without firm security guarantees, though the Élysée later denied he used the word “betray.”

Merz and Stubb urged caution, saying Europe must not leave Zelensky “alone with these guys,” a sentiment echoed by Rutte.

Admiral Frank M. Bradley will tell lawmakers Thursday that two survivors of a September 2 U.S. strike on a suspected drug-smuggling boat in the Caribbean were lawful targets for a second attack because the vessel was still believed to contain narcotics.

Bradley, then head of Joint Special Operations Command and now commander of U.S. Special Operations Command, is expected to defend the decision in a classified briefing alongside Joint Chiefs Chair Gen. Dan Caine.

Source: Reuters

Sudan Doctors Network:

9 killed in an attack by the Rapid Support Forces and their allies on a kindergarten in South Kordofan.

Trump:

I’m dealing with, THE POISONING OF AMERICA!

A new report from the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) concludes that the U.S. occupation of Afghanistan was fundamentally doomed, plagued by corruption, unrealistic goals, and up to $29.2 billion in waste, fraud, and abuse.

Over 20 years, Congress spent about $144.7 billion trying to build Afghanistan’s government and military—an effort SIGAR officials now describe as a “white collar criminal enterprise.”

The report cites 1,327 cases of misuse of funds, including unused aircraft and buildings, massive contractor kickbacks, and bribery schemes involving both Americans and Afghans.

Some suspects were considered off-limits because they worked with U.S. intelligence agencies.

Despite $38.6 billion spent on Afghan military equipment, the force collapsed within days of the 2021 U.S. withdrawal, leaving $7.1 billion in weapons behind for the Taliban.

SIGAR also found the U.S. tolerated alliances with abusive warlords and ignored widespread corruption for over a decade.

Source: USA Today

NOW: Putin arrives in India.

Modi welcomes him.

South Korea has launched a $296 million project to develop short-range air-to-air missiles for its KF-21 fighter jets.

The missiles are to be completed by 2032, aiming to expand weapons options for the jets and boost defense exports.

Source: Yonhap

Visa said it will begin operating in Syria after agreeing with the country’s central bank on a roadmap to build a digital payments system.

The company plans to work with licensed financial institutions to issue payment cards and enable digital wallets.

The UN General Assembly passed a resolution Wednesday calling on Russia to immediately return all Ukrainian children it has “forcibly transferred or deported,” saying the actions violate international law.

The measure was adopted with 91 votes in favor, 12 against, and 57 abstentions during the Emergency Special Session on Ukraine.

A new report from Israel’s Public Defender’s Office says conditions for Palestinian security prisoners have sharply worsened since October 7, 2023.

The Israel Prison Service cut food rations, causing severe hunger, major weight loss, fainting, and restricted access to water.

Overcrowding also spiked after mass arrests: 90% of security prisoners lived in spaces under 3 square meters, and thousands had no bed, sleeping on floors in dark, poorly ventilated cells with almost no personal belongings.

Source: Haaretz

Joesley Batista, co-owner of meat giant JBS, quietly traveled to Caracas on Nov. 23 to urge Venezuelan President Maduro to follow Trump’s call to step down and allow a peaceful transition.

Batista acted on his own initiative, though US officials knew of the visit.

Source: Bloomberg

📸 Putin and Modi share a car ride.

Putin to India Today:

One cannot talk to India the way they used to talk to it 77 years ago.

India is a great power, not an English or British colony.

Putin to India Today:

The head of the Indian government, Prime Minister Modi, is not one to give in to pressure.

The Indian nation can take pride in their Prime Minister.