Japanese Coast Guard Ship Runs Aground in Sea of Japan, Reports Say

Echigo, which has a displacement of 3,100 tonnes and a length of 105 meters (344 feet), ran aground on Wednesday morning and was damaged as an oil slick formed around the vessel, Japanese TV reported.

According to the report, there were 43 people on board, and no one was hurt.

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Pentagon Sending US Arms Stored in Israel to Ukraine, Reports Suggest

According to the report , in 2022 the United States and Israel reached an agreement to move about 300,000 155-millimeter shells. The American military hardware and munitions stockpile has its origins in the 1973 Arab-Israeli War, when the US airlifted weapons to resupply Israeli forces.

Earlier, Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz said Israel would not supply weapons to Ukraine.

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Amazon Overtakes Apple as World's Most Valuable Brand Despite Losing $51Bln

Amazon has reclaimed top spot as the world's most valuable brand despite losing $51 billion this year, or 15% of its value, according to the annual Brand Finance Global 500 ranking.

The retail company's value went down to $299.3 billion from $350.3 billion over the past year, with its rating falling from AAA+ to AAA as consumers evaluate it more harshly in the post-pandemic world, the leading brand valuation consultancy said.

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📹 Russia's MoD has revealed footage showing the Western Military District's 82mm Vasilyok mortars in combat action.

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🇷🇺Final preparations under way in Moscow for the annual news conference of the Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. Dozens of Russian and foreign reporters are in attendance, including my colleagues from Sputnik news hubs. The event will start at 11am MSK. Stay tuned for more. Subscribe to @BolotskySputnik

South Africa says BRICS mulling new payment system to ditch dollar control

The BRICS club of emerging economies wants to find a way of bypassing the dollar to create a fairer payment system that would not be skewed toward wealthier countries, South African Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor told Sputnik.

"The systems currently in place tend to privilege very wealthy countries and tend to be really a challenge for countries, such as ourselves, which have to make payments in dollars which costs much more in terms of our various currencies," Pandor said.

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📌 LIVE UPDATES: Foreign Minister Lavrov Wraps Up Results of Russian Diplomacy in 2022

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❗️ The head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine and his first deputy died in a helicopter crash in the Kiev region: Ukrainian police

💬When describing situation in Southeast Asia Russian FM Lavrov says "the Westerners" (he frequently uses this term) use "Indo-Pacific" construct to weaken Chinese influence in Asia. Slams AUKUS.

❗️ 16 people including Ukrainian interior minister die in helicopter crash near Kiev, police say

💬Lavrov slams Ursula von der Leyen's Davos rhetoric about punishing Russia through sanctions, says that "masks are off" and western politicians are talking only about sanctions.

❗️ Key statements made by Russia’s FM Lavrov during the press conference on the results of Russian foreign policy in 2022:

▪️ What's happening in Ukraine is result of West's decision to start hybrid war against Russia

▪️ EU has completely fallen to US dictate

▪️ US to slap sanctions on any country that disobeys Washington's orders

▪️ US and EU ready to use blackmail, force and sanctions to colonize other countries

▪️ Europeans serve US interests in ‘containing' Russia and China

▪️ EU-NATO declaration on cooperation subjugates Europe to the North Atlantic Alliance

▪️ West aims to destroy ties between former partner nations

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⚡️ Russian FM Sergey Lavrov says no talks with Zelensky are possible because he adopted legislation prohibiting UA officials from holding talks with Moscow.

❗️UPDATE: 18 killed, 26 injured in the helicopter crash in the Kiev region

💬 Lavrov blames the West for destroying Iraq and Lybia, says Yugoslavia was also torn apart in an attempts to divide the Balkans, mentions Biden's 1998 senatorial speech where he called for the bombing of Belgrade.

💬 Lavrov says Russia was the only country that followed the Minsk agreements, others "were card sharks".

💬 Lavrov draws parallels between Ukraine crisis and the 2008 conflict in Georgia, says NATO is accountable for both of them, hints at America's possible involvement in igniting the 2008 Georgia's attack on South Ossetia.

💬 Lavrov goes into more detail on the causes of Russia's special military operation in Ukraine, says Moscow is responding to the hybrid war which has been waged against it.

❗️ None of the Arab countries joined anti-Russia sanctions despite unprecedented pressure from West - Lavrov

💬 Lavrov describes in neutral or positive terms the efforts of Turkish and the Arab world's diplomacy in Syria, criticizes America's actions in the region, says the Washington wants the Kurds to create a "quasi-state" on Syrian territory.