💬 Death toll from Israel's operation in Gaza tops 43,500

"As a result of the ongoing Israeli aggression in the Gaza Strip since October 7, 2023, the number of people killed has reached 43,508 and 102,684 were wounded," the ministry said.

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🗣️ X mastodons actively discussing a possible Trump's peace plan

Mario Nawfal, investor and host of the largest show on X, who has repeatedly appeared on Sputnik channel, shared the alleged details of the Trump's new scenario for the end of the conflict in Ukraine.

"The senseless killing will end soon. Time is up for the warmonger profiteers." Musk commented on Nawfal's post in an apparent nod to the Kiev regime and its sponsors in Washington.

Earlier Musk joined Trump’s call with Zelensky, according to reports.

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🔸 Who is potential Trump Sec. State pick Richard Grenell?

🔸 Pentagon lifts ban on US contractors repairing weapons in Ukraine

🔸 Starmer to increase British military spending to send a ‘peace gesture’ to Trump

🔸 Federal prosecution of Donald Trump put on hold

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Guns found and declared now free to use in Ukraine

Ukraine’s Cabinet of Ministers has authorized civilians to use found and registered weapons during martial law, Ukrainian media reported, quoting the government’s permanent representative in the Rada [Ukrainian parliament] Taras Melnychuk.

"The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has authorized civilians to use firearms to deter armed aggression during martial law, provided they are declared," according to reports.

Earlier, the Ukrainian authorities allowed military commission employees to break into apartments, houses, and offices to take away men of military age, Rada lawmaker Artem Dmytruk said.

"Full freedom of action," he added.

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📑 What to know about Robert Lighthizer, ‘trade tsar’ and potential member of Trump’s Cabinet

As President-elect Donald Trump begins choosing a Cabinet, Robert Lighthizer has been suggested as a key contender to run US trade policy, the Financial Times reported, citing insiders.

The report added that Lighthizer might have been hoping for a more high profile post, such as Treasury or commerce secretary.

There has not been any comment from Lighthizer himself, and Reuters, in turn, cited its own sources as questioning the claim that he has been offered the post of US trade chief.

🔸 Lighthizer spent close to three decades as an attorney at Wall Street Law firm Skadden Arps protecting the US steel industry against foreign competition.

🔸 He convinced the George W. Bush administration to impose tariffs on steel imports to protect the US industry in the early 2000s.

🔸 Lighthizer was Trump’s US trade representative during his first tenure in the White House. Trump and Lighthizer are closely aligned on protectionist trade issues.

🔸 As Trump’s 'trade czar', Lighthizer slapped tariffs of up to 25% on steel and 10% on aluminum imports from much of the world, with similar tariffs levied on China’s exports to the US.

🔸 He was Trump’s point man in a deal with Canada and Mexico to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).

🔸 Lighthizer wrote in The Economist in March that the United States’ “bold experiment” with eliminating tariffs “has failed.” He argued that the new tariffs of at least 10% that Trump has vowed to implement are needed “to reduce America’s trade deficit and to speed up its reindustrialization.”

🔸 In his 2023 book, No Trade Is Free, he suggests that tariffs should be imposed on all imports “at a progressively higher rate year after year until we achieve balance.”

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❗️The Russian Armed Forces struck the infrastructure of military airfields and Ukrainian energy facilities, the Russian Defense Ministry said.

🇷🇺🪖More statements from the Russian Defense Ministry's daily briefing on the special military operation's progress:

◻️ Ukrainian losses reached a total of 770 militants in Battlegroup Yug's area of responsibility.

▫️ Russia's Battlegroup Tsentr has improved its tactical position. The losses of the Ukrainian Armed Forces totaled up to 420 soldiers and two Swedish-made Viking armored personnel carriers.

◻️ Russia's Battlegroup Zapad repelled one counterattack, enemy lost up to 440 militants.

◻️ Ukrainian losses reached a total of 125 troops in Battlegroup Vostok's area of responsibility.

◻️ Russian Air defenses hit two HIMARS missiles and shot down 67 Ukrainian drones.

◻️ Enemy losses in Russia’s Battlegroup Dnepr combat zone came to 75 militants.

◻️ Enemy losses in Russia’s Battlegroup Sever combat zone came to 35 servicemen.

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