🇮🇳 Former Indian PM Manmohan Singh dies

Former Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has passed away at 92, according to local reports. Singh was one of India's longest-serving prime ministers.

India's current Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, said India mourns "one of its most distinguished leaders."

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IAEA keeps quiet about Ukraine being a threat to ZNPP - Russian envoy

Rafael Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), avoids holding Ukraine responsible for the attacks on the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant, Russia's Permanent Representative to International Organizations in Vienna Mikhail Ulyanov told Sputnik.

"The director general does his best to avoid publicly indicating the Ukrainian side as the one responsible for creating security threats, although we point out these circumstances when discussing the reports [on the ZNPP] at the sessions of the IAEA Board of Governors," Ulyanov said.

The IAEA secretariat also downplays the plant's administration's safety efforts, the Russian official added.

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Estonia, Lithuania ask NATO fleet to protect their undersea cables

The Estonian and Lithuanian leaders asked NATO for help with maritime security after the EstLink 2 between Estonia and Finland cable was damaged.

"Estonia would like to receive reinforcements from NATO in the form of a deterrence fleet," Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal said.

In November, a communications cable between Lithuania and Sweden was cut in the Baltic Sea. The recent incident prompted further statements from the Lithuanian government.

"Protecting maritime infrastructure must be raised both at the NATO level and bilaterally as a key priority in Baltic Sea cooperation," Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda wrote on X.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said the alliance is following the investigation into the incident and stands ready to provide support.

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❗️ At least 50 people, including five medical workers, were killed at the Kamal Adwan hospital in the northern Gaza Strip as Israeli planes bombed a building adjacent to the hospital, says Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya, the Director of Kamal Adwan Hospital.

Footage from social media

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South Korean parliament will vote on impeachment of incumbent president

The opposition United Democratic Party plans to bring a motion to impeach Han Dok-soo to a general vote at a plenary session on Friday.

South Korea's acting president and prime minister Han Duck-soo on Thursday refused to appoint missing judges to the Constitutional Court due to a lack of political consensus. This drew criticism from the opposition, as expressed in a speech by Rep. Park Chan-dae, floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea.

“It has become clear that he has neither the qualifications to serve as acting president nor the will to defend the Constitution,” he said.

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🇮🇱🇱🇧 Israel exits Lebanon, deliberately ruins infrastructure

Israel is leaving Lebanon as part of the ceasefire agreement, but is deliberately destroying local infrastructure as it leaves, according to social media footage.

The United Nations peacekeeping force in Lebanon said in a statement on Thursday that "there is concern about the ongoing destruction by the IDF in residential areas, agricultural lands and road networks in southern Lebanon."

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❗️ The Norwegian-flagged ship Oslo Carrier 3 refused to take on board the sinking crew of the Ursa Major for an unknown reason, Oboronlogistika, the ship's owner, told Sputnik.

Oboronlogistika said it was a flagrant violation of Article 10 of the 1989 International Convention on Salvage.

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🇨🇳🇷🇺 Xi is expected to visit Russia in 2025

Russia expects Chinese President Xi Jinping to visit the country in 2025, Russian Ambassador to China Igor Morgulov told Sputnik.

"For the next year, in consecutive order, the visit of the Chinese president to Russia, the 30th anniversary regular meeting of the heads of government, and the 11th meeting of the interparliamentary commission in China are expected. Important international events will include the meetings of the SCO [Shanghai Cooperation Organization] Council of Heads of State in China and the SCO Council of Heads of Government in Russia," Morgulov said.

He added that plans are being developed for bilateral events.

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🇮🇳🎄 India's largest Christmas tree lights up

India's largest natural Christmas tree at Fort Kochi has been illuminated for the annual New Year celebration. The Fort Kochi tree is estimated to be 200 years old.

Footage from social media

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Europe loses military technology race - NATO commander

Europe is not keeping pace with the development of military technologies, NATO Supreme Allied Commander Transformation Adm. Pierre Vandier told the Defense News portal.

New technology had time to arrive – you’ve spent a lot of money, just to have a platform that is obsolete by design, and all because the time spent building it was too long," Vandier said.

He added that the tech development period is about two to three years, which is ten times faster than "the huge, controlled procurement system in Europe."

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🇱🇧🐏 Sheep causes shocking scene in the sky of Lebanon

In Nabatieh, Lebanon, a sheep was rescued after its horn got caught on an electric wire, leaving it suspended in mid-air after a livestock truck passed by.

📹 Footage from social media

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🛑 American media calls on Congress to block Trump's presidency

The American newspaper The Hill has called on the US Congress to use its constitutional powers to prevent Donald Trump from returning to the presidency. The authors, lawyers Evan Davis and David Schulte, said Trump's actions violate Section 3 of the 14th Amendment, barring insurgents from holding public office.

At the same time, the authors acknowledge that the Electoral College objection is unlikely to succeed in Congress.

"The unlikelihood of congressional Republicans doing anything that might elect Harris as president is obvious. But Democrats need to take a stand against Electoral College votes for a person disqualified by the Constitution from holding office unless and until this disability is removed. No less is required by their oath to support and defend the Constitution," the piece reads.

"Is this The Hill trying to organize an insurrection?" the president-elect responded on Truth Social.

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❗️ China launches first Type 076 amphibious assault ship

China has launched its first new-generation Type 076 amphibious assault ship, the "Sichuan", in Shanghai, local TV reported. With a displacement of 40,000 tonnes, it features a dual-island design and full-length flight deck with electromagnetic catapults, enabling it to carry fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters.

"As the new-generation amphibious assault ship of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy, it plays a key role in advancing the Navy's transformation and enhancing its combat capabilities in the far seas," the broadcaster said citing Navy officials.

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🪖Ukrainian troops in panic over low morale & lack of resources amid prolonged conflict

The Ukrainian military is seeking a "reprieve" in the ongoing conflict but remains skeptical that relief will arrive anytime soon, as reported by the Washington Post.

Servicemen from Ukraine report declining morale and a diminished fighting spirit, citing shortages of personnel and weaponry.

“It can’t go on like this,” one of the soldiers said. “We’re withdrawing. And they’re pushing further and further. What kind of victory will happen?"

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🔍Egypt loses about $7bln in 2024 due to Red Sea crisis

Egypt's revenues from the Suez Canal fell by more than 60%, or $7 billion, in 2024 due to the situation in the Red Sea, the office of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Sisi said.

In September, Danish shipping company A.P. Moller-Maersk A/S (Maersk) said that the number of ships passing through the Suez Canal had fallen by 66% since the escalation of tensions with the Houthis in the Red Sea.

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✅Japan approves 2025 draft budget with record defense spending

The Japanese government on Friday approved a draft budget for fiscal year 2025, with a record 8.7 trillion yen ($55.4 billion) marked for defense spending, Kyodo news agency reported.

The total budget for the fiscal year starting April 1 is 115.54 trillion yen ($732.23 billion), of which more than 10%, or 8.7 trillion yen, is expected to be spent on defense, the news agency said.

The upcoming defense budget reportedly includes spending on the development of long-range missiles, capabilities to strike adversaries outside of their attack range and increasing drone capabilities.

By 2027, Japan plans to increase its total defense spending from 2023 to 43 trillion yen (about $273 billion). Thus, the defense budget is expected to increase every fiscal year.

The Japanese government has yet to decide on the source of defense funding, as Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has advocated raising corporate taxes, an initiative that has many opponents even within Ishiba's ruling Liberal Democratic Party.

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✍️Putin sends New Year greetings to Kim Jong-un, emphasizes growing cooperation

In his message, Putin reflected on his June meeting with Kim in Pyongyang, stating that it elevated the relationship between Russia and North Korea to a new level. He expressed optimism that the two nations would continue their collaboration in 2025 and enhance their efforts to tackle today’s challenges.

Additionally, he highlighted that the recently signed Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Agreement has laid the groundwork for expanding mutually beneficial cooperation in key areas.

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⚔️Israel 'just getting started' conducting airstrikes on Yemen - Netanyahu

With strikes on Yemen’s capital Sanaa and the Hudaydah province, Israel is "just getting started," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said.

Israeli fighter jets carried out six airstrikes on the Yemeni capital of Sanaa, and the airport was heavily damaged, a local government source told Sputnik on Thursday.

The IDF later confirmed the attack that also damaged buildings just feet away from the World Health Organization's delegation plane in the airport. The death toll currently stands at 6 with 40 injured.

"We're just getting started with them... We will strike them to the bitter end until they learn," The Times of Israel quoted Netanyahu as saying.

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🟠 Xi is expected to visit Russia in 2025

🟠 50 dead in Israeli strikes near hospital in Gaza

🟠 South Korean parliament will vote on impeachment of incumbent president

🟠 Estonia, Lithuania ask NATO fleet to protect their undersea cables

🟠 Europe loses military technology race - NATO commander

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💵US dollar's share in global reserves plunges to 30-year low

The US greenback’s share of global currency reserves hit a three-decade low at the end of the third quarter, according to Sputnik’s analysis of International Monetary Fund (IMF) data.

▪️The decline in the American currency’s share of allocated foreign reserves of central banks and governments has continued for the second quarter in succession, losing 0.85 percentage points in July-September, and 1.8 percentage points over the year as financial flows continue the trend of dedollarization.

▪️US dollar holdings in allocated reserves decreased to 57.39% in the third quarter of 2024, the lowest since 1995.

▪️Central banks are increasingly leaning towards diversification, as the euro's share rose to 20.02%, while the yen increased to 5.5% during the same period.

Why is the dollar losing luster?

1. The shift out of dollar reserves has been driven by concerns over weaponized US sanctions.

2. The US federal government’s debt burden surpassed the $36 trillion mark amid feckless money-printing by the Federal Reserve.

3. Geopolitical tensions and military expenditures, such as dollars being poured into NATO's proxy war in Ukraine, continue to shape global dynamics.

The 16th Summit of the newly expanded BRICS bloc this year highlighted the increasing use of national currencies in trade, signaling a potential decline in the dollar's dominance that may fade irreversibly into history.

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