UK to Send Up to 4 Apache Attack Helicopters to Ukraine - Reports

The United Kingdom will send up to four Apache attack helicopters to Ukraine as part of a military assistance package that also includes Challenger 2 tanks, a British newspaper reported, citing defense sources.

The delivery of helicopters would follow shipments of tanks to Ukraine, the newspaper stated, adding that the UK would also hope that other NATO states "will follow the suit."

British media reported that the helicopters are armed with Hellfire anti-tank missiles and could be of significant tactical importance on the battlefield.

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BoJo's 'Partygate' Testimony Over Claims He Misled Parliament May Be Broadcast Live

Back in April 2022, the House of Commons passed a motion calling for the then-prime minister, Boris Johnson, to be investigated by the Commons Privileges Committee over claims that he misled parliament in connection with the so-called "partygate" allegations - breaches of COVID-19 lockdown rules in Downing Street.

Leading broadcasters intend to air former UK prime minister Boris Johnson’s testimony to parliament’s Privileges Committee over the so-called "partygate" allegations in February live and in its entirety, reported British media.

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🛰 China successfully orbited 14 research satellites atop a Long March-2D carrier rocket, the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) said on Sunday.

According to CASC, 14 satellites include Qilu-2 and Qilu-3 that will be mainly used for remote sensing of the Earth in order to prevent natural disasters and address their consequences, for environmental monitoring and emergency management

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🇲🇱 Mali’s transitional government has introduced the new "National Day of Patriotic Sovereignty" on Saturday as a display of the country’s independence in the face of external pressure, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement

▪️On January 6, the country’s Council of Ministers decided to establish January 14 a "National Day of Patriotic Sovereignty" as a symbol of great and patriotic mobilization of Malians against the "illegal, illegitimate and inhuman sanctions" imposed by ECOWAS.

▪️ The sanctions were imposed in January last year after military leaders delayed elections until 2026. However, they were lifted after the government announced a new election timetable in June with elections in 2024.

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🇳🇬🇺🇸🥊 Nigerian heavyweight boxer Efe Ajagba has defeated his American counterpart Stephan Shaw with score of 96-94

▪️For Shaw, who is from St. Louis, Missouri, it is his first defeat by a unanimous decision.

▪️For Ajagba, it is the second victory in a row, after he lost to Cuban Frank Sanchez in 2021. After the defeat, the Nigerian boxer underwent surgeries on both elbows.

▪️Efe Ajagba is known for the fastest victory in the history of boxing after his opponent, American Curtis Harper, was disqualified for leaving the ring one second after the start of the battle in protest over a pay dispute

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

▪️The Russian Army reinforced a successful offensive in the direction of the northern outskirts of Artemovsk in the DPR and the Sol railway station, eliminating more than 80 Ukrainian servicemen;

▪️Ukrainian losses amounted to more than 115 servicemen and 6 vehicles in the Krasny Liman direction;

▪️Russian forces launched attacks on the Ukrainian 14th and 92nd Mechanized Brigades in the Kupyansk direction;

▪️Russian troops eliminated up to 50 Ukrainian servicemen in the Kupyansk direction;

▪️Russian air defense systems shot down two UAVs and intercepted eight HIMARS and Uragan MLRS rockets;

▪️The Russian Army eliminated up to 50 Ukrainian servicemen in the South Donetsk direction;

▪️Russian troops repelled an attack of the 71st Jaeger Brigade of Ukrainian forces in the Krasny Liman direction.

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⚡️Russian President Vladimir Putin has expressed condolences to the president of Nepal in connection with the plane crash, the Kremlin said.

Blizzards in Space? Saturn’s Moon, Enceladus, Boasts Deep Snowdrifts, Research Shows

Enceladus, the sixth-largest moon of the ringed giant planet Saturn, has snow about 700 meters deep in some places, a study has revealed.

Moreover, the varying snow depth could indicate that Enceladus’ dramatic plume - the vapor from surface fractures at its south pole - may have been more active in the past, Research Physical Scientist Emily Martin believes.

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📹 Russian heavy self-propelled howitzer in action in the Zaporozhye direction. The artillery teams attack Ukrainian military positions up to 25 times a day

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All 72 passengers and crew members aboard Yeti Airlines plane killed, airline told Sputnik

The Nepalese authorities have tasked a special commission with investigating the causes of the crash. A report is expected in 45 days.

DETAILS

🥴 Reports about the UK sending up to four Apache attack helicopters to Ukraine are incorrect, says Deborah Haynes, a British TV journalist, citing the Defense Ministry.

The Mirror, which published the original report about the delivery, has now removed it from the site.

🇷🇸 Serbian President Aleskandar Vucic has thanked Russian Ambassador Alexander Botsan-Kharchenko for Moscow's support for Belgrade in the international arena on the issue of Kosovo, the Serbian president's office said on Sunday.

Vucic also informed the Russian ambassador about intensified international diplomatic activity in the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia and reiterated Belgrade's commitment to peace and stability in the region.

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🇨🇩 At least five people died and 15 more were injured in a suspected terrorist bomb attack that targeted a church in eastern DRC, the country’s army has said, as cited by the media

Army spokesman Anthony Mualushay stated that the "terrorist act" occurred in a protestant church in the North Kivu town of Kasindi, which lies on the border with neighboring Uganda.

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German Defense Company Rheinmetall Unable to Supply Leopard Tanks to Kiev in 2023, CEO Says

💬 "We still have 22 Leopard 2 units that we could put into operation and deliver to Ukraine. As for Leopard 1, we have about 88 of them. But we cannot repair these tanks without a contract, because the costs amount to several hundred million euros. Rheinmetall cannot offer preliminary financing to this," Papperger told German media.

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🚫 Greta Thunberg seen being dragged away by German police from anti-coal protest in Luetzerath

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🇮🇹🇪🇬 Italian energy giant Eni announced on Sunday the discovery of a new gas field off the coast of Egypt in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea.

💬 "Nargis-1 confirms the validity of Eni’s focus on Egypt Offshore, which the company will further develop thanks to the recent award of exploration blocks North Rafah, North El Fayrouz, North East El Arish, Tiba and Bellatrix-Seti East," the statement read.

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Israeli President Hopes to Avert Constitutional Crisis Amid Judicial Reform Row

According to Isaac Herzog's statement, Israel is now "in the grips of a profound disagreement" that threatens to divide the nation.

💬 "I respect the criticism toward me, but I am now focused on two critical roles that I believe I bear as President at this hour: averting a historic constitutional crisis and stopping the continued rift within our nation," the president said.

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🇭🇺 Over 97% of Hungarians oppose sanctions that have been imposed by the EU against Russia, according to a nationwide consultation conducted by Hungary's government.

According to the survey, 97.5% of respondents said they are against EU sanctions on Russian oil, with some 97.6% opposing measures against imports of Russian gas and other resources and products, which has led to growing prices on food.

The vast majority of Hungarians who participated in the consultation, 96.3%, also stated they were critical of the sanctions which have resulted in traveling restrictions.

The nationwide survey was conducted from October 14 to December 15, with almost 1.4 million people taking part in it.

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What is the Tornado-G Rocket Artillery System?

Russia has deployed Tornado-G multiple rocket launch systems in Ukraine. Find out more about the characteristics of these deadly weapons, the tactical advantages they can provide, and their vulnerabilities.

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🇺🇸 Republican US Congressman Santos, who previously admitted to fabricating portions of his background prior to his election to the US House of Representatives, may be removed from his post if found in breach of campaign finance laws, lead Republican on the House of Representatives Oversight Committee James Comer said on Sunday.

In December, George Santos admitted to lying on the campaign trail about parts of his biography, including his professional and educational experience. Earlier on Wednesday, the Nassau County Republican Committee, who backed Santos’ campaign, said the congressman disgraced the lower chamber and called on him to resign. Santos has repeatedly refused to do so.

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What is the WEF Meeting in Davos and What Should Be Expected From It This Year?

The world's political, business and technology elites are jetting in for the annual World Economic Forum meeting in Davos, Switzerland this week. What's on the agenda for 2023, why is it important to listen closely to what's being said, and why has the venue taken so much criticism in recent years?

We found out