⚽ Cristiano Ronaldo has officially signed with Saudi football club al-Nassr

📹 Russian warships carry out strikes targeting Ukrainian military command and controls systems, as well as defense industry and energy facilities (video courtesy of Russia’s MoD)

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‼️Venezuelan opposition has officially put an end to the interim government headed by Juan Guaido since 2019

The vote came down 72-29

‘Major Political Error’: Moscow Warned About NATO Expansion in 2001, Declassified Docs Reveal

Russian officials have repeatedly complained about Washington's broken promises on NATO's eastward expansion. Now, new archival records from Tony Blair's cabinet office reveal UK efforts to keep up diplomatic decorum, befriend Putin and try pull the wool over his eyes on the West’s 'friendship' with Russia as the Western military alliance pushed east.

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⚡North Korea has reportedly launched an unidentified projectile toward Sea of Japan

🐼 Panda cubs give New Year greetings in Chengdu, China

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🇨🇳🇺🇸 The US should stop the sale of arms to Taiwan and cut military ties with the island, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said on Friday. On Thursday, the US State Department authorized a sale of Volcano anti-tank systems worth $180 million to Taiwan.

💬 "China urges the US to abide by the One-China principle and the provisions of the three joint China-US communiques, earnestly implement the promise of the US leaders not to support the 'Taiwan independence,' stop selling arms to Taiwan, cut US-Taiwan military ties and stop creating new tensions across the Taiwan Strait," Wang told a briefing. He added that China was ready to take steps to resolutely defend its sovereignty and security interests.

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➡️ South Korean military has confirmed that a total of three short-range ballistic missiles were launched by North Korea

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'Citizen Hero': NFL Quarterback Blaine Gabbert Saves Family in Helicopter Crash

Tampa Bay Buccaneers backup Quarterback Blaine Gabbert is being called a “citizen hero” after he and his two brothers saved a family stranded in the ocean after a helicopter crash off the coast of Tampa Bay, Florida.

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💬 "With three Tory prime ministers and about the same number of months, the UK in effect has a zombie government. It is trailing by between 20 and 30 points, trailing the Labor Party and nearly all the opinion polls. The Bank of England, which of course, is neo liberal in its policy orientation, believes that the UK will be in a slump for 2023. Unemployment will continue to be high," says Dr. Kenneth Surin, a political and foreign affairs analyst, on migration crisis in Europe.

🎧 Listen to more of Dr. Surin’s analysis in our podcast

US Restates It’s Locked in Global Struggle With China as Beijing Urges ‘Recalibration’ of Relations

It seems like someone at the State Department may have gotten into the New Years bubbly a bit early... On Thursday, a few days after China's foreign minister announced Beijing's intention to "recalibrate" ties with Washington to "bring [the relationship] back on the right course," Secretary of State Antony Blinken and department spokesman Vedant Patel issued a pair of tweets highlighting the threat China poses to the US-led "international order."

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⚡Notable news reporter Barbara Walters has died at age 93

💬 "The refugee burden falls disproportionately on certain countries. And we have not mentioned Turkey here because of course, it's not a member of the EU but the bulk of Syrian refugees decamped to Turkey. So Turkey is facing an in surge of refugees on a scale that is greater than Germany's," says Dr. Kenneth Surin, a political and foreign affairs analyst, on migration crisis in Europe.

🎧 Listen to more of Dr. Surin’s analysis in our podcast

So Long, Farewell: Venezuelan Opposition Puts End to Interim Government Led by Juan Guaido

The Venezuelan opposition put an official end on Friday to the interim government headed by Juan Guaidó, who since January 2019 has challenged the Maduro government and claimed to be the "interim president" of the South American nation.

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Brazil to Reportedly Rename Largest Port After Late Football Legend Pele

The largest port in Brazil and Latin America, located in the city of Santos, will be named after three-time world football champion Pele, Brazilian news portal G1 reported on Friday, citing Santos ex-mayor Paulo Alessandri Barbosa.

Shortly after the athlete's death was confirmed by family and his manager, outgoing Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro declared three days of mourning in honor of Pele. A wake is expected to be held Monday, with a funeral Tuesday morning.

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US Grounds Several F-35 Fighter Jets After Mishap in Texas Runway

The United States grounded several F-35 fighter jets as a result of concerns following a mishap that occurred with the aircraft on the runway of a military base in Texas earlier in December, the Pentagon's F-35 Joint Program Office spokesperson told Sputnik.

Earlier this month, a US F-35B fifth-generation fighter jet crashed during a test flight at a base in the state of Texas. The pilot ejected from the aircraft and did not suffer any serious injuries.

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🌍 The year 2022 was full of turbulence and Africa was one of the focal points of the world agenda. Although still struggling with political instability, impacts of climate change and the world pandemic – and affected by the 2022 global food and energy crisis – Africa in many regards showed its commitment to peace and security, making a number of achievements on the way to prosperity.

As the year is coming to an end, Sputnik recollects the most significant events of 2022 related to the continent – and reviews those that are planned for the next year

👉 READ THE FULL STORY

US Arms Sales to NATO Allies Almost Double in 2022: Report

The number and price of arms sales approved by Washington to its NATO allies almost doubled in 2022 as compared to 2021, a US magazine has reported.

The outlet noted that last year, the US government approved 14 possible major arms sales to its allies in the alliance, worth about $15.5 billion. In 2022, the figure soared to 24 potential major arms sales with price tag of around $28 billion, including $1.24 billion worth of arms sales to possible new NATO member Finland.

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📌 LIVE UPDATES: Ukrainian Forces Shell DPR 49 Times in a Day, Local Authorities Say

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😳 Hollywood star Benedict Cumberbatch may be asked to pay reparations to Barbados for having a slave plantation on the island in the 18th and 19th century.

▪️ The seventh great-grandfather of Cumberbatch, who played the role of a plantation owner in the Oscar-winning film 12 Years a Slave, bought the Cleland plantation in St. Andrew, Barbados, back in 1728.

▪️ The plantation then became home to 250 slaves until slavery was abolished more than 100 years later.

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❗️ Russia is ready to fight for the right to speak Russian, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu says