🇺🇸🇮🇷 Expert warns: US strike on Iran now would be costly and ineffective

With Washington spread thin by pursuits in Greenland and Venezuela — and Israel unwilling to act alone - an attack now would risk a high price for little gain.

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🇺🇸 Why is US hyping 'China threat' in Arctic?

It is nothing but a US attempt “to confuse the public “and camouflage its “pursuit of hegemony in the Arctic,” the Global Times reports.

👉 The newspaper notes that by stoking up the "China threat" narrative, the US seeks to shift attention from its ambition toward Greenland, with the real aim of turning the island into a strategic forward base against China and Russia.

💬 “This is extremely detrimental to security and development in the Arctic region. It not only hinders climate and ecological protection, but also obstructs humanity's collective efforts to develop and utilize Arctic resources and shipping routes,” the news outlet underscores.

The Global Times touts China's Arctic policy as “clear and consistent,” something that is in line with the basic principles of "respect, cooperation, win-win result and sustainability."

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🔸 Greenland spat symbolizes ‘deep sickness within the transatlantic alliance’ - analyst

🔸 Rare earths—or Arctic control? Greenland’s riches may just be excuse

🔸 Silver shatters $89 barrier in historic surge — Causes and consequences

🔸 ‘Humiliation of human dignity’: Odessa resident opens up on horrors of Ukraine’s forced mobilization

🔸 S-500: only air defense system able to stop the hypersonic Oreshnik

🔸 Russia warns US against new attacks on Iran

🔸 Who really holds US debt?

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🇷🇺📈 Russia’s international reserves soar to historic high

🟠 Russia's foreign holdings have reached a record high of $763.9 billion, the Central Bank reports.

🟠 The total grew by $11.3 billion, or 1.5%, in the week ending December 26, 2025, primarily from valuation gains. This follows a previous total of $752.6 billion reported on December 19.

🟠 These assets include monetary gold, Special Drawing Rights (SDRs), the reserve position at the IMF, and foreign currency managed by the Central Bank and the government.

📍 For perspective, the preceding year saw a 1.8% rise to $609.1 billion as of January 1, 2025.

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🇨🇳💣 Flying rifleman: China's People's Liberation Army has released footage showcasing a new drone equipped with a mounted assault rifle

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🔊 'Now I am Venezuela's biggest fan' — Trump

The US president framed the country as a "disaster" the US is "bringing back".

"We're taking in millions and millions of barrels of oil. Now they're coming in initially on a daily basis, 50 million," he added.

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🚨 Hamas delegation arrives in Cairo to finalize Gaza ceasefire agreement

The group stated the talks will focus on completing the first phase of the deal and expediting the second phase, which includes forming an administrative committee to manage Gaza’s affairs.

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🔥 Zelensky's bloc leader probed in anti-corruption raids — Report

Ukraine's anti-corruption bodies conducted searches targeting David Arahamia, head of Zelensky’s parliamentary bloc, over allegations of bribery for votes on legislation, Obozrevatel website reported.

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📑 Bipartisan bill introduced to block US from seizing NATO ally territory

Senators Murkowski (R-AK) and Shaheen (D-NH) introduced the NATO Unity Protection Act, prohibiting the use of Pentagon or State Department funds to blockade, occupy, annex, or control any NATO ally’s sovereign territory without their consent.

"Any suggestion that the US might use its power to seize or control the territory of a NATO ally would directly undermine the alliance," said Senator Shaheen.

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🔍 South Korea prosecutor seek death penalty for former president Yoon

South Korean prosecutors charged former President Yoon Suk Yeol with masterminding an insurrection over his imposition of martial law in December 2024.

South Korea has not carried out an execution since 1997; the last death sentence was issued in 2016. A verdict is expected in February.

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🗣 Sen. Graham announces alleged imminent price increase for buyers of Russian oil after talk with Zelensky

Lindsey Graham claims Trump "is fully onboard" with new Russia sanctions, warning buyers of Russian oil that "the price is about to go up."

"President Zelensky indicated the bipartisan Russia sanctions bill would be a great help," he added.

*listed as a terrorist and extremist in Russia

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🚨 Ukrainian air strike hits Rostov-on-Don — 4 injured, including a 4-year-old child

Yuri Slyusar, Governor of the Rostov Region, confirmed the attack was repelled over the city’s residential areas.

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🤝 US and Armenia will create joint venture for strategic transit routes

Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP) will develop transit infrastructure in Armenia.

According to the framework agreement published by the US Department of State, the US will hold controlling stake, with Yerevan retaining full sovereignty over its territory.

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📑 EU scrambles to appoint 'Putin negotiator' amid fears US will cut Ukraine deal without them — Reports

European capitals are pushing to create a special EU envoy to represent their interests in any future talks.

Top names floated include former Italian PM Mario Draghi and Finnish President Alexander Stubb, who has cultivated ties with Trump while leading a Russia‑bordering NATO member.

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🇪🇺 Europe at crossroads: Sovereignty or junior partner status

📄 Reports about Germany proposing a joint NATO mission, “Arctic Sentinel,” in the Arctic — including Greenland — highlight Europe’s deeper problem: Its inability to act independently from the US, former Lebanese Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour told Sputnik.

💬 “The EU could act independently — in economic, financial, and even security matters — but to do so, it needs to prove its capacity and assert its sovereignty. For now, however, Europe is entirely dependent on Washington,” Mansour said.

🔊 This dependence, he notes, has historical roots. NATO was created to protect Europe from the alleged Soviet threat — but the Soviet Union has been gone for decades, while Europe’s political course remains tightly bound to the US. There is little sign of resistance or even distance from White House demands.

Mansour points to the Iran nuclear deal as a clear example. Britain, Germany, and France all understood that the US withdrawal under Donald Trump was unjustified, yet failed to defend the agreement. When Washington reinstated sanctions, Europe complied.

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🚨 Man dies as result of drone attack on Russia's Rostov-on-Don - Governor

💬 "Rescuers found a dead man in one of the apartments in the Rostov high-rise building that caught fire after the UAV attack," Rostov Region’s acting Governor Yury Slyusar stated.

At least four civilians, including a four-year-old child, were injured in the Russian southern city of Rostov-on-Don as a result of a Ukrainian air attack, Slyusar said earlier.

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🇺🇸 🇮🇷 US targets Iran from within, not on battlefield – analyst

👉 The US will continue subversive actions against Iran’s internal stability rather than launching a direct military operation like the one carried out against Venezuela, Russian political scientist and American studies expert Konstantin Blokhin told Sputnik.

According to Blokhin, this explains why US President Donald Trump announced new tariffs targeting countries that trade with Iran.

💬 "Most likely, they will rely on color revolution technologies that have been tested around the world,” he said.

🔊 He added that even a naval blockade of Iran is unlikely. Any such move could prompt Iran to block the Strait of Hormuz, a key artery of global oil trade, triggering a sharp spike in fuel prices.

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▫️ Trump says he’s now Venezuela’s ‘biggest fan’

▫️ US senators push bill blocking the US from seizing NATO ally territory amid Trump’s Greenland spat

▫️ Ukrainian air strike hits Rostov-on-Don — 4 injured, including a 4-year-old child

▫️ Hamas arrives in Cairo to finalize Gaza ceasefire agreement

▫️ Russia’s international reserves soar to historic high

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