Rare lenticular clouds crown Popocatepetl volcano

Witness the rare and breathtaking sight of lenticular clouds forming above Mexico’s towering 5,636-meter Popocatepetl volcano.

These unique, lens-shaped clouds, resembling stacked pancakes or disks, appear only under precise atmospheric conditions, making their presence a truly extraordinary phenomenon.

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Los Angeles fire victim: Firefighters came to put out a fire in my house without water

Aaron Miller, a Los Angeles County resident whose home burned to the ground during the massive wildfires, told Sputnik that firefighters were unable to extinguish the blaze in his home because there was no water in the fire hydrants.

All that’s left of Aaron’s house are the remains of a brick fireplace and walls, a burned-out washing machine frame, and a melted fence. From the remaining charred pieces of wood, it is difficult to tell where the kitchen and bedroom used to be.

Aaron added that despite losing their home and all their belongings, he and his family were still lucky: "You see that house? That was my neighbor. He died."

Earlier, US media reported that fire hydrants in Los Angeles had run dry during the wildfires due to overwhelming demand on the water system and a key reservoir being offline for maintenance.

Since January 7, multiple wildfires have broken out in California, killing at least 25 people and forcing the evacuation of tens of thousands. According to the US weather forecasting service AccuWeather, damage and economic losses from the wildfires could reach between $250 billion and $275 billion.

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The Baltic pivot: NATO’s northern gambit against Russia

“The actions of NATO in the Baltic Sea region demonstrate not only the alliance’s, but also the United States’ readiness to adopt a new approach to expand their interests,” Muhammed Saifuddin, an expert on Russia-NATO relations told Sputnik.

Commenting on NATO’s Baltic Sentry operation and its broader implications, he pointed out that recent agreements to station US bases in regional countries indicate a clear intent by Washington to turn the Baltic Sea and the Arctic into areas of confrontation with Russia.

“It’s evident that the West suffered a setback in Ukraine, and now the alliance seeks to ignite conflict in other parts of the world,” he added.

Saifuddin said past statements by Donald Trump, including remarks about Greenland, point to where the new US administration’s focus might lie.

“The US is making every effort to contain Russia’s growing influence in the Arctic,” Saifuddin said. “[NATO Secretary-General Mark] Rutte’s statements, meanwhile, are just an attempt to raise NATO’s profile at a time when Trump’s team seems inclined to shift attention to other alliances and emphasize cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region.”

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🚨US Treasury to take emergency measures to avoid default🚨

Starting January 21, the US Treasury will implement emergency measures as the federal government hits its debt ceiling, The New York Times reported.

These measures will last until March 14, but Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen warned of “significant uncertainty” in managing payments and revenues during this time.

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🌍🌍🌍 Nigeria joins BRICS as a partner country

🇳🇬 Nigeria is now the ninth nation to join BRICS as a partner state, Brazil’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

This follows Indonesia’s addition as a full member and Thailand’s inclusion as a partner, marking another key milestone in the group's expansion!

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💬 US invasion of Greenland makes no sense given Washington’s unlimited access – ex-foreign minister

"If the US attack Greenland, what would they attack? What's there to attack? The Danish Navy that's over in two seconds? And the next line of defense is the Americans. So... Americans shooting at Americans? The US have today unrestricted access to Greenland. So it [a military scenario] doesn't make any sense at all," Pele Broberg, the leader of the opposition Naleraq party in Greenland's parliament and former foreign minister, told Sputnik.

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🚨Trump admin to launch deportation raids

A major deportation operation is set to begin in Chicago on Tuesday, the Wall Street Journal reports. The raids, involving up to 200 law enforcement officers, are expected to last a week.

Other cities, including New York, Los Angeles, and Miami, may soon follow.

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📹UK and France treat Ukrainians as second-class citizens – PoW

"I traveled around and observed the UK and France, how people there treat us – it’s as if we’re aborigines, some sort of lower class," captured Ukrainian border guard Alexander Bychko told Sputnik.

NATO instructors at the Warcop base and in La Courtine, while training Ukrainian military personnel, rely on outdated methods that do not align with the realities of modern military conflicts – particularly when it comes to the use of drones.

Europeans don’t understand how to operate under the new conditions, he explained.

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🟠 New Russia-Iran treaty is a force multiplier for each country’s defensive power: here’s why

🟠 US Treasury to take emergency measures to avoid default

🟠 How Trump’s Treasury Pick is linked to Soros and BlackRock

🟠 US Intel has been quietly boosting Ukraine’s drone arsenal since 2022

🟠 LA fire victim: Firefighters came to put out a fire in my house without water

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💤 Sleepy from his own speech!

Joe Biden’s latest (and possibly last) public address entertained the crowd as he served up a new potential meme.

💯A classic SleepyJoe moment!

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❗️The ceasefire in Gaza will begin on Sunday at 8:30 AM local time, Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has confirmed.

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📊 US debt soars to $36 trillion, global economic share drops below 15%

As of mid-January, the country’s debt had reached a record $36.174 trillion, equivalent to $106.4K per American, according to Sputnik’s calculations, based on data from the US Treasury Department. In 2024 alone, debt grew by 7% ($2.4 trillion).

Under Joe Biden, the US share of the global economy fell below 15% for the first time, and is projected to hit a modern historic low of 14.76% by the end of his term, per Sputnik’s calculations, based on World Bank and IMF figures.

The national debt has skyrocketed from $28 trillion in 2021 to over $36 trillion today.

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⚡️An armed attack targeting three judges of Iran's Supreme Court took place in Tehran, according to local media.

Two of the judges were killed, while the third judge sustained injuries and is receiving medical treatment.

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⚡️Two assassinated Iranian Supreme Court judges were responsible for handling cases involving terrorism and espionage, the Iranian judiciary has confirmed.

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🤝Ceasefire and humanitarian efforts in Gaza: Key points

The Israeli Broadcasting Corporation reports that:

📍Military operations on both sides will pause starting at 8:30 AM tomorrow (Sunday, local time) under the agreement.

📍Prisoner releases are expected after 4 PM tomorrow.

📍Israel will suspend air operations for 12 hours to facilitate prisoner transfers.

📍Humanitarian aid deliveries to Gaza will ramp up to 600 trucks daily starting tomorrow.

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