💰Trump authorizes up to 25% tariffs on countries trading with Iran — Executive order

The White House published an executive order authorizing additional tariffs of up to 25% on imports from foreign countries that directly or indirectly trade with Iran.

The order says “an additional ad valorem rate of duty — for example, 25 percent” may be imposed on goods imported into the United States from countries found to “purchase, import, or otherwise acquire” goods or services from Iran.

Under the order, the Commerce Department will identify such countries, while the State Department, in coordination with other agencies, will decide whether and to what extent the tariffs should be applied.

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🇺🇸🇮🇳 US-India announce interim trade framework — White House

The White House said the US and India agreed on a framework for an interim trade arrangement, with further talks planned toward a broader bilateral trade deal.

🛍 Under the framework, India would eliminate or reduce tariffs on a range of US industrial and agricultural products. The US would apply an 18% “reciprocal tariff” on certain Indian-origin goods, and — if the interim agreement is successfully concluded — lift the reciprocal tariff on a wider set of items listed in an annex.

💵 The statement also said India intends to purchase $500 billion in US energy, aircraft-related items, technology products and other goods over the next five years.

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🗣 'Very good talks' on Ukraine, Iran — Trump

President Donald Trump said the United States held “very, very good talks” related to the Ukraine conflict, adding that “something could be happening.”

Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump also said talks with Iran had gone well and would continue next week. He said Iran “looks like it wants to make a deal very badly,” while noting that a US naval force is “heading in that direction,” and added: “We’ll see how that works out.”

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📉 US contractors face penalties over late Ukraine ammo deliveries — reports

The US Army is moving to collect penalties from defense contractors over delayed artillery ammunition deliveries to Ukraine, highlighting procurement failures, according to Bloomberg.

💬 "The Army’s Contracting Command said it’s acting on recommendations in a Nov. 20 Pentagon Inspector General report that called for $1.1 million in penalties over the delayed shipments of large caliber shells, some of which were 18 months late," Bloomberg reported, citing an Army statement.

The watchdog also found problems including possible overpricing, delays across five of seven contracts reviewed (worth $1.9 billion), and $907 million in ammunition that has not yet been delivered.

💸 Nonetheless, on February 6 the US approved yet another $185 million for Ukraine in a potential Foreign Military Sale for spare parts to support US-supplied weapon systems.

⚠️ Russia has maintained that Western arms shipments to Ukraine hinder conflict resolution and directly involve NATO countries in the fighting. Russia has also warned that deliveries containing weapons for Ukraine would be considered legitimate targets.

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🗳 US pushes Ukraine toward elections, Zelensky resists — reports

The United States is pressing for quick elections in Ukraine as part of a broader push for a peace deal, but Kiev is dragging its feet, according to Reuters.

💭 US negotiators have told Ukrainian counterparts it would be best to hold a national referendum and elections soon, possibly as early as May, but Ukrainian officials say organizing a vote could take up to six months and would require lifting or amending martial law, Reuters reported.

❌ The report said the push for elections has been a repeated US demand, while Zelensky insists that “nothing can be agreed” until security guarantees are in place — effectively postponing any vote.

Sources told Reuters that the US is in a hurry, while Ukraine continues to raise procedural and security obstacles, underscoring growing friction between US demands and the Kiev regime’s reluctance to return to the ballot box.

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🇨🇺 Cuba to prioritize fuel for essential services amid US blockade - minister

The Cuban government will prioritize fuel supplies for essential services, including healthcare, food production, water supply, and key economic activities, amid ongoing energy difficulties linked to the US blockade, Cuba’s Minister of Foreign Trade and Investment Oscar Pérez-Oliva Fraga said.

💬 “First, the fuel available in the country is guaranteed, first and foremost, to ensure the protection of essential services to the population and fundamental economic activities,” the minister said.

He said electricity generation will rely mainly on thermal power plants using domestic crude oil, along with associated gas from oil production and renewable energy sources, which he noted have expanded faster than initially planned. Authorities have also prioritized the stable operation of water supply systems.

💬 “We have been suffering from a number of restrictions… the country comes from a complex economic situation where we have energy restrictions, water restrictions, and difficulties with food as a result of the [US] blockade,” Pérez-Oliva Fraga said.

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🇩🇪 Germany's export revenues stall amid EU's anti-Russia sanctions & US trade spat

Germany's export revenues have stagnated for the third consecutive year, according to Sputnik's analysis of Eurostat data.

👉Five years ago, Germany was one of Russia's key European trading partners, with German industry primarily reliant on Russian gas. However, in 2022, the situation changed: Germany joined the EU sanctions, which imposed restrictions on the import of Russian goods.

👉Relations between the EU and the US have worsened recently due to US tariff policies and Greenland dispute.

Key figures

Exports (monthly average):

🟠 Jan-Nov 2021: €114.1B

🟠 Jan-Nov 2022: rose to €133.5B

🟠 2023-2024: declined and stagnated around €130.0B

🟠 Jan-Nov 2025: averaged €131.3B

Imports (monthly average):

🔹 Jan-Nov 2021: €98.7B

🔹 Jan-Nov 2022: increased to €126.5B

🔹 2024: Stood at €110.0B

🔹 Jan-Nov 2025: returned to ~2023 levels, averaging €114.6B

Trade surplus (monthly average):

◻️ 2022-2024 period: averaged €20.7B

◻️ Jan-Nov 2025: dropped to €16.7B

Germany's entire economic prosperity was built on cheap Russian pipeline gas. Now that gas is gone, products have become more expensive, experts say.

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🇺🇸 💰 US pledges long-delayed payment as UN debt crisis deepens

The White House plans to make a significant initial payment to the UN “in a matter of weeks” to begin clearing its massive arrears, US Ambassador Mike Waltz was cited by Reuters as saying.

UN chief Antonio Guterres warned the United Nations is at risk of "imminent financial collapse" due to unpaid fees, the majority of which are owed by the US.

Key figures:

➖ $2.19B—total arrears to the UN regular budget alone (that's over 95% of all unpaid regular budget dues from all countries combined)

➖ $2.4B—owed for current and past peacekeeping missions

➖ $827M—unpaid for 2025 (zero paid into the regular budget last year)

➖ $767M—already due for 2026

➖ $43.6M—arrears for UN tribunals

When asked if the money Waltz spoke of would go towards last year's dues or those for 2026, or both, he said: "Just in general, towards the arrears, and also in recognition of some of the reforms that we've seen."

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🇷🇺 🔥 Russian latest MLRS Sarma undergoing trials on the battlefield

It'll debut at the World Defense Show in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Equipped with a modern automated fire control system, it allows to be deployed quickly, integrating with recon and combat systems

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🇸🇪 Swedish defense companies profit from Ukraine conflict

Sweden has provided Ukraine with $9 billion in military aid since the start of Russia’s special military operation and plans to allocate another $8 billion to Ukraine for the purchase of weapons and other assistance, Russian envoy in Stockholm Sergey Belyaev told Sputnik.

🔹 Sweden has already announced plans to give Ukraine an additional $8 billion in 2026-2027 for direct purchases and joint production of weapons and military equipment, international assistance to Ukraine and co-financing of the Ukrainian military-industrial complex.

🔹 Sweden's defense sector and lead firm Saab are raking in massive profits amid the Ukraine conflict, with its end unprofitable for business, Belyaev revealed.

"Saab's strong economic performance contributes to the growing influence of the defense sector on the Swedish economy as a whole. As a result, a possible peaceful settlement of the Ukrainian conflict or a sharp policy shift in the government are becoming unprofitable for Swedish firms, who are linked to defense contracts," he said.

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🔶 Trump authorizes up to 25% tariffs on countries trading with Iran

🔶 'Very good talks' on Ukraine, Iran — Trump

🔶 US approves $185 million military support package for Ukraine

🔶 US contractors face penalties over late Ukraine ammo deliveries

🔶 US & India announce interim trade framework

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🚨 Ukrainian soldiers in ‘death zone’ due to Russian drones – Syrsky

Right now, “Ukrainian frontline soldiers are in greater danger than” at the beginning of the conflict, Oleksandr Syrsky told German media.

👉 The Ukrainian commander-in-chief pointed to “technological advances in drone construction,” which he said means that “the so-called death zone, where Ukrainian soldiers are particularly at risk along the 1,200-km front, now extends to a depth of 20 km.”

📍 Russia’s Defense Ministry earlier said Russian forces had carried out a massive strike and five combined attacks against the Ukrainian military over the past week. Russian forces also liberated the villages of Popovka in the Sumy region, Zelenoye in the Kharkov region, as well as Stepanovka, Toretskoye, and Sukhetskoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic.

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🚨 🇮🇷 Iran will retaliate by attacking US bases in Gulf if America strikes - Foreign Minister

Iran considers its nuclear program non-negotiable, Iranian FM Abbas Araghchi said, adding that the date of the new Iran-US negotiations isn't scheduled yet.

He also rejected possibility of withdrawing enriched uranium from the country.

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😍 🇨🇳 China rings with dazzling 20,000-drone display

Hefei, China, hosts a breathtaking show featuring tens of thousands of synchronized aerial drones.

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🚨🇷🇺💥 RUSSIAN MOD UPDATE: HUGE GAINS AND DEVASTATING UKRAINIAN LOSSES

⚡️ CHUGUNOVKA IN THE KHARKOV REGION FREED

By liberating the settlement of Chugunovka in the Kharkov region, the Russian forces have expanded the buffer zone along the border with the Belgorod region.

🟠 In response to Ukrainian terrorist attacks, the Russian Armed Forces conducted a massive strike with long-range attack UAVs and high-precision weapons, including Kinzhal hyperesonic missiles, targeting transport and energy infrastructure supporting the Kiev regime’s forces

🟠 Russian air and missile firepower obliterated temporary deployment points for Ukrainian troops and foreign mercenaries in 158 places

🟠 Air defense superiority: one guided aerial bomb and 168 UAVs were shot down by Russian air defense systems over the past 24 hours

🟠 Ukrainian losses: around 1,305 troops killed or wounded

Read about the origins of Russia's special military op HERE

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🪖🇭🇺🇪🇺 'Hungary says NO'

Orban explains why Hungary opposes EU’s idea of sending troops to Ukraine.

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