🟠Israeli strikes on Gaza claim the lives of 90 people in past 24 hours

🟠Palestine 2: what is known about Yemeni missile that can beat Israeli defenses

🟠Check out the questions Zelensky would unlikely ever face

🟠What’s really behind Trump’s sentencing in ‘hush money’ case?

🟠What is the US deep state? Its roots, tools and enablers

🟠US military bases in Honduras may be closed after Trump’s inauguration. Why?

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🗣Le Pen сriticizes Mayotte restoration plan drafted by French authorities

Marine Le Pen, the head of France's National Rally right-wing party's group in the lower house of the parliament, has criticized the French authorities' plan to restore France's overseas department of Mayotte, which had been hit by Cyclone Chido.

The emergency bill for the restoration of Mayotte will be presented at a meeting of the French Council of Ministers next week. It includes, among other things, the restoration of access to electricity, water and telecommunications for its residents, as well as the strengthening of the law enforcement corps.

"It [the plan] is not enough, because I think it lacks an important component, a diplomatic component, without which much of what is promised will not be implemented," Le Pen said during a two-day visit to Mayotte as quoted by French broadcaster BFMTV.

The state of the department is such that, rather than restoring its facilities, new ones need to be built, as Mayotte has been neglected for many years, Le Pen added.

On December 14, Cyclone Chido hit Mayotte, becoming the strongest storm in over 90 years, according to the French Meteorological Service. The death toll from the natural disaster has reached 39 people, while 4,000 others were injured.

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📡 Italy may spend €1.5bn on encryption tech from SpaceX - Bloomberg

Italy is in talks with Elon Musk's SpaceX for secure government telecom services, reports Bloomberg, citing people with knowledge of the matter. Discussions have been ongoing since mid-2023, though some officials worry it might affect local carriers in Italy's competitive telecom market.

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🇮🇷 Iran prepares for large-scale military maneuvers

Iran is preparing for major Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps military maneuvers. Ground troops and equipment have already been deployed to the area in preparation for the maneuvers.

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🌨 Will winter storm derail 2024 election certification?

Congress must certify the results of the Electoral College vote, confirming Donald Trump's victory in the presidential election, but with the National Weather Service issuing a winter storm warning, some members of Congress fear the event is in jeopardy.

"Many members of Congress left town this weekend even though they were told to stay. I’m here and will walk to the Capitol if I have to," wrote Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene on X.

According to speaker Mike Johnson, the storm will not be an issue for a vote tomorrow morning.

"The law requires this on Jan. 6. So whether we're in the storm or not, we're going to be in the House to get it done," Johnson told Fox News Channel.

The congressional joint session to count electoral votes will begin at 10 am on Monday.

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🎂 Happy Birthday, dear Weowuwoooru!

During the official signing ceremony of the Social Security Fairness Act, President Biden invited a guy named Elisio on stage to sing Happy Birthday, but he stumbled and forgot his name.

Not even close! 🥴

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Nazi Zelensky: 'I despise the Russian people'

Volodymyr Zelensky openly declared his Russophobia in an interview with American journalist Lex Fridman when he said that he is fluent in the Russian language, but sincerely despises the Russian people.

Zelensky used this to explain why the interview was not conducted in Russian, as Friedman had suggested.

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🌨⚠️ Winter storm triggers avalanche in Utah's Cottonwood Canyon

A rapid winter storm triggered an avalanche in Little Cottonwood Canyon, Utah, with snowfall rates of up to 5 inches per hour and totals of 12-22 inches. Travel was disrupted, with resorts like Snowbird reporting 19 inches. The weather service warns of more snow and power outages.

📹 Footage from social media

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🚗 NYC launches rush hour congestion charges

Drivers entering parts of Manhattan during rush hour will be charged $9, according to New York's Metropolitan Transportation Authority.

In New York, named the most congested city by Inrix in 2024, drivers spend 101 hours a year stuck in traffic.

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⚖️ 'QAnon Shaman' hopes for Trump pardon 4 years after Capitol storming

Jacob "Shaman" Chansley told RIA Novosti he hopes US President-elect Donald Trump will keep his promise to pardon the protesters.

Chansley, best known for entering the US Capitol wearing his distinctive horned fur hat and face paint, quickly became famous as the "public face" of the events of January 6, 2021. His iconic image spread like wildfire across global media, leaving an unforgettable impression.

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📱 Farage refuses to cede leadership after Musk tweet

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage is rejecting Elon Musk's call for him to step down. The clash follows Musk's praise for the founder of the far-right organization English Defense League Tommy Robinson, whom Farage has criticized.

Reform UK came third in the July 2024 election with 14.3 percent, but won only five seats because of the UK's electoral system.

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⚡️North Korea fires unidentified ballistic missile into the Sea of Japan, Yonhap reports, citing ROK Joint Chiefs of Staff

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🦬 Jan. 6 Shaman: Bull horns ended my political career

Jacob Angeli, formerly known as Jacob "QAnon Shaman" Chansley, tells Ria Novosti that the storming of the Capitol ended his political career.

He previously told Sputnik of his congressional ambitions, but never completed the registration.

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❗️Ukraine intends to undertake a "bloody provocation" against Russia; several dates are being considered, including in January - on the eve of Trump's inauguration (January 20), Vladimir Rogov, Chairman of the Commission of Russia’s Public Chamber on Sovereignty, Patriotic Projects, and Veteran Support, told Sputnik.
 
The purpose of the provocation is to get an improvement in their negotiating position, as it is called in Zelensky's office, as well as new financial assistance and shipments of weapons.
 
According to him, a provocation could be an attempt by the Ukrainian armed forces to launch an offensive on one of the sections of the front line.

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West's support for Ukraine exceeds $300 bln
 
Support for Ukraine from the United States, the IMF, the World Bank, the EU, and other international funds, countries, and individuals has already exceeded $300 billion in 2022-2024, according to a report by the Institute of World Economy and International Relations of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
 
Over the past 10-15 years, the Ukrainian economy has undergone significant structural shifts from large business to small business and from energy-intensive heavy industry to agriculture.
 
Despite significant socio-economic difficulties and the degradation of industrial potential, the Ukrainian economy demonstrates a fairly high level of adaptability to external and internal shocks. But the ability to self-develop is almost lost.


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Trudeau's time is up? Canada's PM is expected to resign this week - report
 
After months of being under pressure to step down, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is likely to announce his resignation as leader of the Liberal Party this week as he "couldn't survive the political fallout," Bloomberg reports, citing sources.
 
More than 20 members of the Liberal Party have publicly called for Trudeau's resignation, and even more have said in private meetings that the prime minister has no choice but to leave.
 
According to the article, sources do not know whether Trudeau will resign immediately after the announcement or will remain in charge of the government until a new party leader is elected, who will automatically become the prime minister of Canada.

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Jan 6 Shaman says top Capitol riot prosecutor ‘smart to resign’ before getting fired

Matthew Graves, who was in charge of the Capitol Riot investigation, made a good move when he announced his resignation prior to Donald Trump’s inauguration, Jacob Angeli, Shaman, told RIA Novosti.

Graves announced in late December that he would resign as United States Attorney for the District of Columbia effective January 16. Trump has repeatedly criticized Graves and stood out against the prosecution. Angeli became the face of the riot due to his extravagant outfit, which included bull horns and a fur headdress.

"He's smart to resign. It's like quitting before you get fired, basically," Angeli said in an interview.

Prosecuting all the January 6 participants was his "only job", so he will be "useless" when Trump who promised to pardon his supporters who took part in the Capitol riot comes in, Angeli added.

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🇨🇳🐙🤖Octobot? Robopus? China develops an octopus tentacle robotic arm
 
The new development made by the Chinese University of Science and Technology can grab any object dextrously: from an egg to an ant.

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📹💥Watch: Russian drones eliminating manpower and equipment of the Ukrainian armed forces in the Krasnoarmeysk area

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