Donald Trump has nominated Michael Duffey, an opponent of military aid to Ukraine, to the position of undersecretary of defense for acquisition and sustainment, according to the New York Times.

In 2019, at Duffey's request, the Pentagon blocked a $250 million military aid package for Ukraine.

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🇷🇺🛩 Strategic wings: Which aircraft form Russia's long-range aviation

December 23 marks Long-Range Aviation Day of the Russian Aerospace Forces. The military branch is part of the strategic reserve of the Russian Armed Forces and one of the three components of the country’s nuclear triad.

Let’s explore the aircraft currently in service in Russia’s long-range aviation:

🔶Tupolev Tu-160: A supersonic, variable-sweep wing, nuclear-capable heavy strategic bomber and airborne missile platform with a range of 14,000 km and a maximum speed of 2,200 km/h. The aircraft is armed with subsonic long-range cruise missiles and aero-ballistic short-range hypersonic missiles.

🔶Tupolev Tu-95MS: A four-engine, turboprop-powered strategic bomber and missile platform with a range of 10,500 km and a maximum speed of 830 km/h. Armament includes cruise missiles, freefall bombs, and cannons.

🔶Tupolev Tu-22M3: A supersonic, variable-sweep wing, long-range strategic and maritime strike bomber with a range of 6,800 km and a maximum speed of 2,300 km/h. It is equipped with guided missiles, hypersonic aero-ballistic missiles, freefall bombs, and cannons.

🔶Mikoyan MiG-31: A supersonic interceptor aircraft and one of the fastest operational combat aircraft in the world, with a range of 3,300 km and a maximum speed exceeding 3,000 km/h. It is armed with air-to-air missiles, Kinzhal hypersonic missiles, and a cannon.

🔶Ilyushin Il-78: A four-engine strategic aerial refueling tanker with a range of 7,300 km and a maximum speed of over 850 km/h.

🔶Additional aircraft: Russia’s fleet also includes various trainers and transport planes.

The history of Russia's long-range aviation dates back to December 23, 1913, when the flight of the world’s largest four-engine heavy bomber, the Ilya Muromets, took place. These aircraft were part of the world’s first long-range bomber squadron, operational in Russia as of December 23, 1914.

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🇬🇧❌🎅UK says no to Christmas

Vendors at Christmas markets in London, UK, were banned from using the word “Christmas." Instead, they were told to stick to “Winter markets.”

"It's something to do with religion; they can't say 'Christmas'," a vendor told a journalist. 

In late November, UK PM Keir Starmer accused the Conservatives of running an “open borders experiment” after new figures showed that net migration to the UK had hit a record high of nearly 1 million during the period covering Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak’s administrations.

However, Starmer himself faced criticism in July for failing to handle a crisis that triggered a wave of violent riots in Southport.

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🌎 From Greenland to Canada: Trump’s annexation wishlist

US President-elect Donald Trump has been dropping not-so-subtle hints about his ambitions to grow America's borders - literally. Here’s a rundown of the territories Trump has set his sights on:

🔸 Panama Canal: Bringing it back home?

Trump isn’t shy about wanting to reclaim the Panama Canal, labeling its 1999 handover to Panama a mere "token of cooperation." After Panama's President Jose Raul Mulino firmly rejected this idea, Trump retorted with his favorite cliffhanger, “We’ll see about that!” One wonders if he envisions the canal lined with golden Trump logos. Meanwhile, Colombian President Gustavo Petro jumped into the fray, firmly backing Panama's sovereignty and calling Trump’s remarks an affront to regional stability.

🔸 Greenland: Real estate or geopolitics?

Revisiting his dream of acquiring Greenland, Trump framed the purchase as a necessity for "National security and freedom throughout the world." Whether it’s the natural resources, a strategic missile deployment site, or simply a vast icy canvas for a new Trump-branded resort, the motives remain unclear. Adding flair to the absurdity, X owner Elon Musk chimed in on social media, tweeting “Congrats! Help America gain Greenland,” complete with a cheeky emoji. Was he serious? Probably not, but when it comes to Trump and Greenland, who can tell?

🔸 Canada: The 51st state?

Trump jokingly (or was it?) suggested that Canada should join the US as the 51st state. Why? To dodge tariffs and enjoy military protection, of course! Trump’s December 18 post declared, “Many Canadians want Canada to become the 51st state. They would save massively on taxes and military protection. I think it is a great idea. 51st state!!!” Canadians, however, seemed less than enthused - perhaps Maple Leafs on the Stars and Stripes aren’t quite their style.

🔸 Mexico: Subsidized to statehood?

During an interview on NBC’s Meet the Press on December 8, Trump floated the idea of Mexico becoming a US state. Claiming that the US “subsidizes” Mexico to the tune of $300 billion a year, he remarked, “If we're going to subsidize them, let them become a state.” While it may have been a rhetorical flourish, the comment stirred conversation about Trump’s vision of turning financial aid into political absorption.

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🎄 Russian Christmas star in Moscow - The main Christmas tree installed in the Kremlin

An amazing Christmas tree has been installed in Sobornaya Square in Moscow, decorated with:

▫️2,500 toys (400 are unique)

▫️150 LED decorations, including icicles with a "running light" affect

Christmas miracles may be on the way...

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Russian President Vladimir Putin plans to meet with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, although the exact timing of the meeting is still unclear, according to Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov.

Ushakov also highlighted that Moscow maintains contacts with Syria's new authorities through both diplomatic and military channels.

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❗️Key points from Russian Presidential Aide Yuri Ushakov's statements:

▪️Russian President Vladimir Putin and Slovakian PM Robert Fico discussed the topic of Ukraine in detail, including various peace initiatives;

▪️Fico showed himself to be an independent, thinking politician who puts the interests of his country first;

▪️Fico confirmed to Putin his intention to come to Moscow for Victory Day;

▪️Putin and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz have not discussed the possibility of the chancellor's possible visit to Moscow;

▪️Several countries have already offered to host Putin and US President-elect Donald Trump's potential talks;

▪️Russia is in contact with the new leadership of Syria both through diplomatic channels and the military;

▪️Putin will discuss cooperation in the field of migration, economics and politics with Tajik President Emomali Rakhmon on December 24;

▪️The Russian president will take part in an informal meeting of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) leaders on December 25;

▪️The Kremlin has announced visits of foreign leaders to Moscow for early 2025;

▪️The Kremlin is expecting many guests for the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War.

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Pipeline politics: Who are the players fighting to keep Russian gas flowing through Ukraine?

Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico explained that his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow was prompted by Volodymyr Zelensky's recent remarks opposing Russian gas transit through Ukraine.

Fico emphasized that while halting gas transit flows in early 2025 would not threaten Slovakia’s supplies due to sufficient storage, it would significantly impact transit operations and market prices. He noted that Bratislava is striving to maintain gas flows through Ukraine, as sourcing gas elsewhere would cost Slovakia an additional €220 million (almost $229 million) in transit costs.

Let’s delve into who else - along with Slovakia - is interested in the transit of Russia's “blue fuel”.

🇭🇺 Hungary: According to Prime Minister Viktor Orban, Budapest is seeking a solution that would allow gas flows to Europe via Ukraine to continue once the current transit contract between Moscow and Kiev expires. “We have not given up on our Ukraine transit plans,” he said.

🇦🇹 Austria: The country has been the main recipient of Russian gas through Ukraine. Moscow, however, notified Vienna last month that Russia will halt gas supplies through Ukraine starting November 16. This was followed by Chancellor Karl Nehammer claiming that his country’s “gas storage facilities are full and we [Austria] have sufficient capacity to obtain gas from other regions.”

🇲🇩 Moldova: Energy Minister Victor Parlicov said the termination of Russian gas supplies to Moldova's breakaway region of Transnistria after January 1, 2025, is a "very realistic" scenario. Without these supplies, the region would need financial help to survive and avoid a humanitarian catastrophe.

The current agreement on the transit of Russian gas to Europe via Ukraine expires at the end of 2024, and Kiev has repeatedly stated that it does not plan to extend it.

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Not for sale: Greenland PM rejects Trump’s renewed real estate fantasy

It seems Donald Trump’s fascination with Greenland hasn’t cooled off, as he has once again floated the idea of “ownership and control” over the Arctic island. Greenland’s Prime Minister Múte Egede did not hesitate to issue a swift and icy response.

“Greenland is ours. We are not for sale and will never be for sale. We must not lose our long struggle for freedom,” Egede said, as if addressing a particularly persistent bidder at an auction that doesn’t exist.

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Ex-Mossad agents reveal grisly details of Israeli pager terror attack against Hezbollah

Former members of the Israeli spy agency Mossad have recently revealed details of the exploding pagers plot that rocked Lebanon in September, both literally and figuratively speaking, on CBS News.

The plot aimed against the Lebanese movement Hezbollah involved gadgets that weren’t just booby trapped but were actually developed by Mossad itself.

▪️Booby-trapped pagers: Mossad developed pager-bombs designed to target only their users, causing injury to Hezbollah operatives without harming anyone nearby during detonation.

▪️Deceptive licensing deal: Through shell companies, Mossad tricked Taiwanese pager manufacturer Gold Apollo into a licensing partnership to ensure the devices could be sold to Hezbollah without raising suspicion.

▪️Fake ad campaign: To make the booby-trapped pagers appeared credible, Mossad staged a fake advertising campaign on YouTube, giving the product an air of legitimacy for its unsuspecting buyers.

▪️Non-lethal terror tactic: The operation aimed not to kill Hezbollah members but to instill fear and paranoia within their ranks, mirroring the methods of psychological warfare or even terrorism.

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US tax dollars hard at work: $4.8M for Ukrainian influencers

The US State Department spent nearly $5 million on Ukrainian influencers, a move highlighted by Republican Senator Rand Paul from Kentucky as one of the most absurd expenditures by the US government in 2024.

Despite American taxpayers providing nearly $174 billion in aid and military assistance to Kiev since the beginning of the conflict, “someone over at State thought it was a brilliant idea to drop an additional $4.8 million for ‘Ukraine public affairs - Influencer Staff’,” Paul noted in his annual Festivus Report on government waste.

The senator urged a return to “serious diplomacy” instead of relying on social media strategies, emphasizing that many taxpayers struggling to meet their basic needs are funding this spending on Ukraine.

Earlier, in an interview with NBC News, US President-elect Donald Trump remarked that under his administration, Kiev is unlikely to receive the same levels of aid it enjoyed during Joe Biden's presidency.

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Houthis likely shot down US F/A-18 over Red Sea — former Pentagon analyst

"We know the Houthis are war-hardened, extremely tough, smart, and motivated," retired US Air Force Lt. Col. Karen Kwiatkowski, said, commenting on the group’s alleged downing of a US warplane. "They have a variety of drones and hypersonic missiles, and they are fighting a long war for fundamental reasons, specifically to free the Arab world from Israeli, NATO, and US domination."

The Yemeni Ansar Allah group (Houthis) has claimed responsibility for shooting down a US Navy F/A-18 jet over the Red Sea on December 22. The US Central Command, however, stated that the warplane was downed by "friendly fire" from the guided missile cruiser USS Gettysburg.

This explanation seems questionable to Kwiatkowski for three reasons:

1. The Pentagon typically avoids admitting friendly fire incidents due to the embarrassment. The quick acknowledgment after the crash suggests the truth might be even more embarrassing.

2. The incident is being downplayed and underreported in domestic news, aside from the survival of the pilots.

3. There is confirmed evidence of Houthi capabilities to hit ships, drones, and slower-moving aircraft in the Red Sea over the past 15 months.

How could the Houthis have downed the US warplane?

Kwiatkowski noted that the F/A-18 was struck shortly after takeoff, as it was gaining speed and altitude.

▪️"It is likely that the countermeasures in the F-18 were not usable so soon after takeoff and at the altitude they were hit," she suggested. "Security for takeoff is the carrier battle group’s primary responsibility."

▪️Additionally, if a Houthi missile attack was detected, it's possible that US defense systems were trying to avoid friendly fire. This algorithm might have allowed the missile or drone to find its target so close to the Harry Truman, within the US-friendly zone.

Why is the US Navy downplaying the Houthi missile threat?

According to Kwiatkowski, the primary reason for downplaying is that "the US Navy and Air Force are aging, overstretched for the types of global missions its politicians demand, and demoralized by both the politics of 'war' and extremely poor military leadership."

▪️"The US Naval offensive posture – 12 nuclear Carrier Battle Groups with associated submarine escorts – has become a global target and a technological sitting duck," which are "hard to man, expensive to operate, and difficult to defend."

▪️The needed changes are being resisted by current military and political leadership, according to the former Pentagon analyst.

"It is the end of this model, and a time for a new US military posture that matches its actual means and constitutional goals. And, dare I say at this time of year, a push for peace," Kwiatkowski concluded.

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Business as usual: US pursues research linked to weapons of mass destruction

The US government plans to spend nearly $35.9 million over the next four years on research related to weapons of mass destruction, quietly slipping this information into an otherwise bland online statement.

The FY25-29 Strategic Trends Research Initiative Broad Agency Announcement invites “strategic research on challenges related to weapons of mass destruction (WMD) 5-10 years in the future,” aligning with the mission of the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA).

The announcement paints a noble picture of DTRA’s focus on countering WMD threats and preparing for conflict involving chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) adversaries.

However, this is the same DTRA responsible for the so-called Biological Threat Reduction Program in Ukraine, which conveniently translated into operating a network of questionable biolabs accused of covert biowarfare research and conducting ethically dubious experiments on local populations.

With that track record, one can only speculate what kind of “research” this new WMD initiative will fund.

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🇵🇪🎄 The Grinch stole Christmas from Peruvian drug dealers

The Peruvian Interior Ministry has shared a video of a police officer dressed as the fairy-tale green monster who took part in an operation in Lima. The Grinch knocked down the door of a drug den with a sledgehammer, participated in the search and interrogated the detainees. A large amount of drugs were seized during the raid.

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🕊 Healing wings: Russian specialists care for birds after Kerch Strait oil spill

Specialists at the Krasnodar Safari Park are caring for birds affected by an oil spill near Anapa off Russia's Crimea.

The spill occurred after two oil tankers, Volgoneft 212 and Volgoneft 239, were wrecked in the Kerch Strait during a storm on December 15, leaking 3,700 tonnes of fuel oil into the sea.

So far, 213 birds have been brought to the park, with more arriving soon. Many suffer from chemical burns to their eyes and mucous membranes, requiring weeks or months of rehabilitation. The team is working tirelessly to help these animals recover, following what President Vladimir Putin has called an environmental disaster.

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Chance to end Ukrainian conflict? Zelensky reportedly willing to negotiate

Ukranian leader Volodymyr Zelensky has signaled his willingness for negotiations and ceasefire, as Ukranian forces fail to restrain Russian advances and US President-elect Donald Trump seeks to broker a peace deal, The Washington Post has reported, citing an unnamed senior Ukrainian official.

According to the official, Zelensky carefully agreed to hold negotiations and emphasized the need to establish "long-term security" on Ukranian territory rather than "fight for every last inch of his country’s land."

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🌋 Fiery beauty

Footage of the eruption of the Kilauea volcano in Hawaii. It is one of the most active volcanoes on Earth.

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What does Trump’s promised ‘only male and female genders’ policy mean?

US President-elect Donald Trump has - in his usual bombastic manner -announced his intent to “stop the transgender lunacy” in the United States as he delivered a speech at the AmericaFest 2024 in Phoenix, Arizona on December 22.

While he promised to “end child sexual mutilation” and to “get transgender out of the military,” he also made this curious remark:

“Under the Trump administration, it will be the official policy of the United States government that there are only two genders, male and female.”

While a number of countries in the world do afford legal recognition to transgender people, the number of countries who recognize the third gender (i.e. people who are not categorized as either a man or a woman) is much smaller.

India, for instance, formally recognized non-binary and transgender as a third gender via a Supreme Court ruling in 2014.

Germany, Nepal and Pakistan officially recognize the third gender as well.

Meanwhile, countries such as Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Argentina and Sweden recognize the new gender identity of transgender people.

And then there are countries like Russia, Hungary and Poland who simply do not recognize the third gender at all and frown upon transgender people recognition.

Essentially, most countries in the world already legally recognize the existence of only two genders – male and female – and instances where the third gender or non-binary people are recognized in some states and/or cultures are more of an exception globally.

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🍇 Harvest of despair: Migrants exploited in France’s champagne vineyards

Migrant workers harvesting grapes for champagne production in France are reportedly underpaid and "forced to sleep on the streets," according to The Guardian.

The workers, primarily migrants from West Africa and Eastern Europe, say they are unpaid for their labor and provided no accommodation, forcing them to steal food from locals and seek out tents for shelter, the newspaper reported.

Unions blame the vineyards for subjecting workers to harsh conditions, while plantation owners claim they are “helping African migrants” by giving them jobs, "even if they are underpaid."

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