Cameroonian Journalist Accuses WH Press Secretary of 'Discrimination' Against African Reporters

Cameroonian journalist Simon Ateba has accused US White House Press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre of practicing “discrimination” against him and other African reporters during her daily briefings at the White House.

Ateba’s claims came following a clash that occurred on Thursday between him and Jean-Pierre, who left the White House briefing room visibly frustrated as the Cameroonian reporter, who runs Today News Africa and serves as the outlet’s chief White House correspondent, was asking her about the US-Africa Leaders Summit set to be held in Washington in January.

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📹 WATCH: Russian units of Msta-S M2 SPG inflict fire damage on Ukrainian targets using the tactis of the roving gun (video courtesy of Russia’s MoD)

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Notre Dame Ancient Tombs Reveal Their Secrets

In April 2019 fire ravaged through the cathedral, severely damaging it. President Emmanuel Macron promised that Notre Dame will be rebuilt and open for masses within a five-year period.

Amid the reconstruction of the badly-damaged Notre Dame cathedral, several coffins have been discovered.

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📹 “Constant shellings”: residents of Donetsk spoke about the constant attacks from Ukraine

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House Republicans Eager to See Elon Musk Testify for Biden Probe

US House Republicans are looking to have Elon Musk testify before the House Oversight Committee over the congressional probe into the affairs of the Biden family.

During an interview with a US newspaper, Republican congressman and ranking member of the Oversight Committee James Comer (who is also expected to become the committee’s next chairman) said he had reached out to Musk via “backchannels” regarding the matter.

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📹 “There was a loud bang and glass fell out”: A pensioner from Donetsk shows how her house has got damaged by Ukrainian shelling

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Japan Mulling Introduction of ‘Active Cyber Defense’ Measures, Reports Say

The Japanese government wants to create a system that will allow authorities to get involved in the protection of private sector infrastructure by tracking and hacking the systems of intruders even at the stage of suspicious activity.

This initiative will be reflected in the National Security Strategy, which will be revised together with two other security-related documents next week.

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Russia, US Continue to Cooperate on ISS, Remain ‘Professional’: NASA Administrator

Russia-US cooperation at the International Space Station (ISS) remains professional despite the Ukraine conflict, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said in an interview with The Nikkei newspaper published on Sunday.

"That cooperation continues. It is very professional," Nelson said. He admitted that "the war in Ukraine changed everything on the ground. It's certainly solidified Europe against Russia. But it's not going to change the cooperation on the International Space Station."

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Australian Scientists Discover Shark Graveyard in Indian Ocean

Scientists of the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), who work on the research vessel Investigator, have found a mysterious shark graveyard in the depths of the Indian Ocean off the coast of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands.

Among the fossils of ancient marine animals, researches discovered the teeth of the ancient ancestor of a megalodon shark.

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'Crybaby': Cristiano Ronaldo's Tears After Portugal Defeat Mocked Online

For all football fans, the sensational defeat of Portugal against Morocco in the quarterfinals of the 2022 World Cup is, above all, the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo from the tournament. One of the greatest football players in history was once again left without the trophy.

Another sensation was Ronaldo's reaction to the results of the game. After the match was over, the Portuguese captain left the field immediately and burst into tears only to be caught on camera.

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🇿🇦 🇩🇪 South Africa’s Ambassador to Russia accused Germany of double standards in the wake of Berlin’s calls to resume coal mining

🗣 “The Germans are quite aggressively pursuing their policy in the search for new markets. They came to South Africa to discuss energy transition issues. At the same time, they themselves increased coal imports from South Africa on a huge scale,” South African Ambassador to Russia Mzuvukile Maqetuka said. “Despite the fact that we still have large reserves of coal enough for 200 years, we have closed most of the mines. And now our government is under pressure to resume coal mining. European countries are doing this too, they are opening frozen mines.”

📌 In early December, Germany’s Minister of Economy Robert Habeck went to South Africa and Namibia to meet the two African countries' leaders and discuss energy supplies, cooperation in the field of hydrogen, decarbonization and business growth. The minister also took part at the German-African Business Summit held in Johannesburg this week.

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Twitter Blue Getting Relaunched on Monday, Social Network Says

The Twitter Blue paid monthly subnoscription will be available starting next week, the social media platform has announced.

"We’re relaunching @TwitterBlue on Monday," Twitter said on its official page on Saturday, adding that web subnoscription will cost $8 a month, while subnoscription on iOS will cost $11 a month.

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📹 “Stones and fragments flew right at me”: A man drove his car in the center of Donetsk when the city was shelled

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📹 Russia's MoD has published footage showing combat work with self-propelled multiple-launch rocket systems of the Airborne Forces

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📹 🥶 Fans of running in Yakutia, Russia have not been deterred by frost. The 38th Republican Winter Race took place in the city of Pokrovsk at a temperature of minus 47 degrees.

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Sky News Host Chris Smith Suspended Over Sexual Harassment Accusations

Australian Sky News and 2GB presenter Chris Smith has been suspended after allegedly acting inappropriately at an after-party event.

Several anonymous sources told media that his actions included improper comments and touching a young female co-worker. He reportedly left one colleague crying, while another slapped him in the face. Later, he was spotted leaving at about 7.30pm.

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❗️Russian’s MoD briefing on the progress of the special military operation in Ukraine:

▪️The Russian Army eliminated up to 30 Ukrainian servicemen in the Kharkov region;

▪️Russian forces destroyed a Ukrainian Buk-M1 air defense system in the Kramatorsk area;

▪️Russian troops took up advantageous lines of defense in the Krasny Liman direction;

▪️The Russian Army thwarted an attempt to attack by Ukrainian forces in the South Donetsk direction, eliminating up to 40 Ukrainian servicemen;

▪️Russian forces destroyed a Ukrainian Grad MLRS platoon in the DPR;

▪️Russian troops conducted an offensive in the Donetsk direction, repelling counterattacks by the Ukrainian Army;

▪️The Russian Army eliminated three sabotage groups and three mortar crews of the Ukrainian Army in the LPR.

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⚡️ Russia needs to have a margin of safety, because the country will have to live in confrontation, Kremlin spokesman Peskov says

❗️Key points of phone conversation between Vladimir Putin and Recep Tayyip Erdogan:

▪️Erdogan and Putin discussed bilateral relations between their two countries and implementation of the grain deal;

▪️More than 13 million tons of grain have been exported through the grain corridor, it is possible to start exporting other products through it too;

▪️Erdogan expressed hope for an early settlement of the Ukraine crisis;

▪️Erdogan said it is important to clear the border of militants of the Kurdistan Workers' Party to a depth of at least 30 kilometers along the Syrian border in accordance with the 2019 Sochi memorandum;

▪️Putin and Erdogan discussed joint energy projects, primarily in the gas sphere, and the creation of a regional gas hub in Turkey;

▪️The two parties discussed matters of expanding cooperation in various spheres and record turnover growth.

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🌋 The eruption of the volcano Fuego occurred in Guatemala, the National Institute of Seismology, Volcanology, Meteorology, and Hydrology (Insivumeh) said on Sunday.

💬 "The eruptive activity declared … continues to generate thick columns of ash and pyroclastic flows towards the Las Lajas ravine," the institute said on Twitter.

▪️ The cloud generated by this pyroclastic flow is hot and can cause ashfall in settlements on the western and southwestern flanks of the volcano, as well as affect air traffic, the statement added.

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Renowned Soviet intelligence officer Georgy Sannikov has passed away at the age of 94, the Foreign Intelligence Service’s press office told Sputnik.

Sannikov actively participated in the eradication of the Ukrainian nationalist underground in the early 1950s, and then went on to work in Germany.