❗️ Pentagon confirms allocation of $988 million in arms to Ukraine

The Pentagon said the new military assistance package includes ammunition for HIMARS, drones, and equipment and spare parts for repair and maintenance of artillery, tanks and armored vehicles.

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📈 Lloyd Austin: US will spend record $841bln on defense in 2025

The US defense budget will increase to $841 billion in 2025 to support the country's military potential, Pentagon Chief Lloyd Austin said during a speech at the Reagan National Defense Forum in California.

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Syrian Army retreats from Homs city, militants take control - Al Mayadeen

Syrian militants have entered the city of Homs and captured all its neighborhoods without a fight, the Lebanese Al Mayadeen quoted sources as saying. Earlier, Turkey's Anadolu news agency reported the capture of Syrian third-largest city Homs by terrorists.

Homs is about 150 kilometers from the capital city of Damascus.

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Jake Sullivan: Abrams and F-16s undermanned in Ukraine, while ATACMS is no 'silver bullet'

US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan also spoke at the Reagan National Defense Forum in California today, commenting on US military support for Ukraine.

Here are the key takeaways:

◼️ The Abrams tanks sent to Ukraine are undermanned because "it's not the most useful piece of equipment for them in this fight," Jake Sullivan admitted.

◼️ According to the National Security Advisor, Ukraine failed to provide the US with enough pilots for F-16 training because Ukraine does not have enough pilots.

◼️ The US cannot provide more ATACMS because of its own arsenal, so permission to strike deep into Russian territory is not a "silver bullet," Sullivan said.

"First reason Ukraine is where it is because of the bravery of the Ukrainians. Second reason is because of the munitions provided by the US," Jake Sullivan concluded.

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⚠️ WARNING! GRAPHIC CONTENT

📹🇬🇪 Journalist beating under investigation in Georgia

A video of a Georgian opposition journalist being beaten by masked people during protests in Tbilisi has appeared online.

The Georgian Interior Ministry is investigating an attack on a journalist. The ruling Georgian Dream party's executive secretary condemned the attack, suggesting it was done by "those who want disorder and chaos in the country."

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🇬🇪 Georgian opposition seeks Western support in Paris

Meanwhile, Georgia's president and one of the opposition leaders, Salome Zourabichvili, met with French President Macron and Donald Trump during the reopening of Notre Dame.

"Exposed the stolen election and extremely alarming repression against the people of Georgia. Underscored the need for a strong US. The Georgian people have a friend in Donald Trump. God bless the United States of America," she wrote on X.

Despite the upcoming presidential elections in Georgia, scheduled by the parliament, Salome Zourabichvili refused to step down as president as scheduled on December 29.

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🇸🇰 Robert Fico: Ukraine will never win on the battlefield

Russia is winning militarily in the conflict in Ukraine, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said on Slovak television.

"Russia is winning militarily. And Ukraine will never win this war on the battlefield. And then there is the new NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, who says that we will not negotiate peace, let them kill more," Fico said.

Fico also criticized Joe Biden's proposal to draft 18-year-old Ukrainians into the Ukrainian military.

"Those who really see the situation in Ukraine know that young people refuse to be drafted. And special units are catching these guys in restaurants and recruiting them into the army. But this is not a solution," said the prime minister.

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⚡️ Syrian press: Damascus International Airport evacuated of all employees, all flights are halted. Explosions are heard in the capital

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🤝🆘 'Macron might need a chiropractor': Trump crushes Macron in powerful handshake

A video of the handshake between President-elect Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris has gone viral. Some people found Trump's grip and Macron's double slap on the hand to be signs of a really painful handshake.

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Syrian prime minister ready to cooperate with any government that Syrians choose

Mohammad Ghazi al-Jalali has declared his readiness to cooperate with any government that Syrians choose, Saudi broadcaster Al Arabiya reported.

State institutions belonging to all Syrians should be preserved, he said, and all Syrians should think rationally about the interests of their country.

“We extend our hand even to the oppositionists, who have confirmed that they do not intend to harm anyone,” the prime minister said.

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⚡️Syrian prime minister says new chapter in history of country began, he established contact with militants, according to Al-Arabiya.

Mohammad Ghazi al-Jalali claims he does not know whereabouts of president, defense minister, contacted Assad last time on Saturday evening.

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❗️Syria’s communications minister told Al Arabiya that he did not know where the country's foreign minister was.

He also claimed that militants had guaranteed the safety of the remaining members of the Cabinet in Damascus.

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❗️Israeli army confirms deployment of forces in buffer zone on border with Syria due to threat of militants crossing over.

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🇸🇾 What is known about the situation in Syria so far?

▫️ Syrian Prime Minister said a new chapter in the country's history had begun, he established contact with militants, according to Al-Arabiya;

▫️ Prime Minister Mohammad Ghazi al-Jalali in a video statement broadcast on his social media account declared his readiness to cooperate with any government that Syrians choose. He added that he remained at home and did not intend to leave;

▫️ Intense shooting has been heard in Damascus’ Abu Rummaneh and Al Mazzeh areas, eyewitnesses told Sputnik;

▫️ Damascus International Airport has stopped all flights, all employees have left its premises, Syria’s Sham FM radio reported;

▫️ Syrian Army units have withdrawn from the city center of Damascus, according to Al Jazeera;

▫️ All prisoners from the Saydnaya Military Prison in Damascus have been set free by armed terrorists, Al Jazeera reported;

▫️ Participants in talks on Syria in Qatar, including Russia, Turkiye, Iran, and a number of Arab countries, supported the need to protect the Syrian Arab Republic from anarchy and terrorism and to ensure the return of refugees. The countries stressed the need to stop military action in order to start a political process based on UN Security Council Resolution 2254, and supported UN efforts to find a political solution.

▫️ Russia will work with both the government and legitimate opposition in Syria, encouraging them to negotiate, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said. He added that together with Turkiye and Iran, Russia will take steps to ensure that the call for de-escalation in Syria is heard.

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What is known about the situation in Syria so far?

Pentagon allocates $988 million for Ukraine, will spend record $841bln on defense in 2025

Participants in Syria talks: All parties should seek political solution in Syria

Jake Sullivan: Abrams and F-16s undermanned in Ukraine, while ATACMS is no 'silver bullet'

Ukraine will never win on the battlefield – Slovak PM

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Protesters tear down monument to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's father, Hafez al-Assad

Social media footage

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