💥🇨🇳 Chinese military hits all targets in live-fire drills near Taiwan

The Chinese People’s Liberation Army’s Eastern Theater Command carried out long-range live-fire exercises in waters north of Taiwan, with all designated targets successfully hit.

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🗣 Matthew Whitaker calls Ukrainian attack on Putin residence 'indelicate'

The US Ambassador to NATO stated the Ukraine's drone attack was "reckless or not helpful," adding that the US would review all the intelligence.

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🇾🇪 Coalition Forces release footage of attacks on UAE shipments

The Coalition to Support Legitimacy in Yemen struck 2 Emirati vessels at Mukalla port in Hadramawt after they entered without permits and turned off their tracking devices, stated coalition spokesperson Turki Al-Maliki.

A video released by the coalition shows the moment the weapons and vehicles were targeted in the port.

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🚨 FBI uncovers buried fraud probes in Minnesota under Biden — Report

Investigative journalist Catherine Herridge reports FBI Director Patel accuses the Biden administration of suppressing major fraud investigations in Minnesota that may implicate political allies.

Patel revealed he traveled there to restart 16 probes into 32 providers, uncovering a sprawling network of fraud and potential terror financing, with the "Feeding Our Future" scandal alone seeing $250M stolen.

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🔊 Calin Georgescu demands US and Israel verify annulment report

The frontrunner in Romania's rigged 2024 election demanded that the report justifying the annulment be sent to Trump, JD Vance and Netanyahu for independent verification. He accused PM Nicușor Dan of only sharing it with select European allies.

"The revolution of truth is fully underway. The question is whether we take part in it, or fall victim to it," he said.

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🔍 Israel asks Trump to exclude Turkiye from Gaza peace board — Report

Israel has requested the Trump administration remove Turkish President Erdogan from the new "Board of Peace" for Gaza, The Jerusalem Post reports, citing officials familiar with the talks.

The move aims to limit Ankara's role, as Israel has also vetoed Turkish troops in the planned Gaza stabilization force, fearing it would give Turkiye a strategic foothold in the Strip.

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🇷🇺🇨🇳 Putin and Xi exchange New Year greetings

This year, Russia and China celebrated the 80th anniversary of victory in the Second World War in a solemn ceremony, which the Chinese leader noted sent a powerful signal that peace will prevail.

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🚨 US and UAE hold talks on Yemen escalation — State Department

Secretary of State Marco Rubio discussed the recent situation in Yemen and broader Middle East security with UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, according to a State Department statement.

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🚨🇷🇺 Russian Chief of Staff inspects Sever battlegroup

Valery Gerasimov, the Chief of the General Staff, has inspected the Sever battlegroup, according to the Russian Defense Ministry

▫️ He pointed out its successes in establishing a security zone in the Sumy and Kharkov regions

▫️ The troops of the combined battlegroup are confidently advancing deep into enemy defenses, Gerasimov stated

▫️ In December 2025, the highest rates of offensive operations by the Russian army have been achieved

▫️ Over 700 square kilometers of territory have been liberated in a month

▫️ The pace of expanding the security zone in the Sumy and Kharkov regions increased in December, and 7 settlements have been liberated

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🇮🇷🇻🇪 Iran may arm Venezuela — Netanyahu

Israeli PM Netanyahu said he "wouldn't eliminate the possibility" of Iran sending arms to Venezuela, framing the threat as a shared US-Israeli fight against radicals who "chant death to America."

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🚨🇺🇸 US’ Caribbean show of force comes with hefty price tag

The US could face serious problems sustaining a strike group deployed in the Caribbean amid escalating tensions with Venezuela, notes the New York Times.

One potential challenge for the Trump administration is reportedly the cost of maintaining a massive military presence in the area.

🔹 The aircraft carrier Gerald R. Ford was redirected to the Caribbean in October, and if the Pentagon extends its deployment “it would delay crucial maintenance for the Ford and strain the crew’s morale, says the publication.

🔹 The crew is already entering its seventh month at sea, while peacetime deployments typically do not stretch beyond six months.

🔹 Besides the Ford strike group deployed near Venezuela, there is also an expeditionary strike group in the vicinity, built around the amphibious assault ship Iwo Jima, adds the report.

The US claims its military presence in the Caribbean is aimed at countering drug trafficking. After destroying boats off Venezuela’s coast that were allegedly carrying narcotics, the US is now weighing strikes inside the South American country.

👉Venezuela denounces this as a provocation and a breach of the Caribbean’s demilitarized status.

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🚨 Ukraine in scramble to fix diplomatic storm after terrorist drone attack on Putin’s residence

Once Indian PM Narendra Modi, Pakistan’s PM Shehbaz Sharif and the United Arab Emirates’ FM denounced the “deplorable attack” on the night of December 29, Ukraine has been scrambling to contain the “diplomatic fallout,” writes the Financial Times.

🔊 Facing intense heat after the long-range drone provocation, Ukraine's FM Andriy Sybiha said the country was “disappointed” by the statements from the three countries.

Many countries signaled solidarity with Russia following Ukraine’s outrageous drone attack on Vladimir Putin’s residence in the Novgorod region.

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📆 Sputnik International News Agency: Key milestones in 2025

In 2025, 🛰🛰🛰🛰 got 10 billion hits and grew to 23.5 million subscribers, adding 4 million in a year.

The agency expanded its radio broadcasting to 15 new countries, launched 24-hour broadcasting in Brazil, and increased its global reach with new correspondent locations and additional languages.

Sputnik also opened a new editorial center in Addis Ababa and won 10 international awards.

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🔹 Russian Chief of Staff inspects Sever battlegroup

🔹 US envoy to NATO Whitaker calls Ukrainian attack on Putin residence 'indelicate'

🔹 Ukraine in scramble to fix diplomatic storm after drone attack on Putin’s residence

🔹 Saudi-led Coalition Forces release footage of attacks on UAE shipments

🔹 US’ Caribbean show of force comes with hefty price tag

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🚨 🚨 Russian Defense Ministry reveals flight path of Ukrainian drones attempting to attack Putin's residence

Ukrainian drones that attacked Putin's residence took off from Sumy and Chernigov regions, according to the Russian Ministry of Defense.

Ukraine attempted the strike from multiple directions — drones were shot down over Bryansk, Smolensk, and Novgorod regions.

"The attack by the Kiev regime was deliberate, carefully planned, and layered in nature," the ministry emphasized.

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