Trudeau backs Scholz’s call to Putin over Ukraine

"Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has expressed support for German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s decision to call Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss the Ukraine conflict.
The Russian and German leaders held their first conversation since December 2022 on Friday. Scholz “insisted on Russia’s readiness to negotiate with Ukraine in order to achieve a fair and lasting peace.” He also stressed Berlin’s “unwavering determination” to support Kiev “as

long as necessary,” while urging Moscow to withdraw troops from territories claimed by Ukraine.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit on Saturday, Trudeau, who is known for his hawkish stance on the Russia-Ukraine conflict, argued that it is important to maintain contact with Moscow.
“We all understand how important it is to see an end to the violence in Ukraine, to see an end to conflicts around the world. That requires a level of engagement with counterparts who in many cases we disagree with,” he said. “Canada wants Ukraine to win, and the conflict to end as quickly as possible,” Trudeau said. He added that “there are perhaps windows in which that might be able to happen in the coming months,” without elaborating." RT

Pentagon in ‘Panic Mode’ Wiping Evidence of DEI Before Trump Takes Office

"Pentagon is scrambling to hide all evidence of how it prioritized diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) over combat readiness. The Pentagon’s “absolute disarray” includes “generals scrambling” due to the incoming Trump administration’s publicized plans to fire ‘woke’ senior military leaders.President-elect Donald Trump’s transition team has already begun gathering names of senior officers who pushed DEI. People are trying to find out if they are on the list to be cut. “They are in panic mode,” the source said.
“DEI pages are starting to disappear off the main websites” the source explained. “They’re being archived as we speak. They are full-bore focused on cleaning up anything DEI-related,” the source said.
One source familiar with the plan told Breitbart News that an executive order has been drafted to create a panel to recommend those senior officers for elimination and that the EO is “definitely” going to Trump’s desk. “This is for real. This [EO] has made the cut,” the source said, adding that it is possible that it is still being revised and consulted with incoming leaders at the Pentagon.
Also working on gathering names is another Army whistleblower, retired Army Chief Warrant Officer 2 Samuel Shoemate, who was investigated by woke officers for running a whistleblower website and his advocacy for troops who did not want the COVID vaccine, as previously exclusively reported by Breitbart News." 

SaraCarter

Lame-duck Biden ramps up sanctions on Israelis — and eases up on terrorists

"As he heads for the exit, President Biden is easing sanctions on Hamas and Hezbollah — while sanctioning Jews in Israel.
Under pressure from Israel-bashing critics, including scores of congressional Democrats, a president who stood firmly behind Israel after the Oct. 7 massacre seems to have lost his moral compass.

And just as President Barack Obama in his last months in office allowed the UN Security Council to pass a resolution slamming Israel, Biden may use sanctions to further turn the screws on the Jewish state in his lame-duck stretch.
In 2022, the Treasury Department determined that the Foundation for Global Political Exchange, a US-based non-profit, would violate sanctions laws by inviting Hamas and Hezbollah to a conference it was planning in Beirut.
Last week, the Biden administration did an about-face and gave the group a green light for the meeting.
Yet at the same time, the Biden administration has created the first sanctions program designed to target citizens of a major US ally.
The real purpose of Biden’s order was to punish Israeli Jews.
Usually, sanctions target those responsible for severe wrongdoing, such as terrorist financing, nuclear proliferation and large-scale human rights abuses.
The new sanctions break this mold by targeting Israeli Jews in the West Bank accused of property crimes and vandalism, or of simply associating with the wrong people." NYP

70 clashes along frontlines

"Since the beginning of the day, over 70 combat clashes have taken place on the frontlines, with the Russian forces being particularly active in the Kurakhove and Pokrovsk sectors.
n the Kharkiv sector, four combat clashes have occurred today. The Ukrainian Defense Forces have repelled attacks near Vovchansk and Starytsia. The Russian forces also carried out airstrikes on the areas of Tsyrkuny, Kozacha Lopan, and Vovchansk, dropping seven guided air bombs.

In the Kupiansk sector, the Ukrainian forces have repelled nine assault attempts by the invaders near Kucherivka, Zahryzove, Kruhliakivka, and Kolisnykivka. Three clashes are still ongoing.
In the Lyman sector, the enemy is attacking near Tverdokhlibove, Hrekivka, Terny, and Cherneshchyna. A total of four clashes have been reported in this area since the start of the day.
In the Siversk sector, the Russian forces are actively using aviation. Siversk was struck by six guided air bombs. The Ukrainian Defense Forces also repelled one attack by the invaders near Verkhniokamianske.
In the Kramatorsk sector, the enemy used assault aviation and struck with eight unguided rockets near Novomarkove.
In the Toretsk sector, with aviation support, the Russian forces have attacked the Ukrainian positions twice throughout the day near Toretsk and Shcherbynivka. One clash is still ongoing.
In the Pokrovsk sector, in the areas of the settlements of Myroliubivka, Promin, Lysivka, Krutyi Yar, Yuriivka, Hryhorivka, and Petrivka, the Ukrainian defenders have repelled 18 enemy assaults, with six clashes ongoing.
In the Kurakhove sector, the Ukrainian forces have repelled four clashes, while 19 clashes are still ongoing near Nova Illinka, Berestkiv, Voznesenka, Sontsivka, Zoria, Maksymilianivka, Dalnie, Kurakhove, and Antonivka.
In the Vremivka sector, the Ukrainian defenders repelled two assaults by the Russian forces near Trudove, the enemy dropped six guided air bombs near the settlement of Velyka Novosilka.
In the Orikhiv sector, the Russian invaders are using aviation near Novodanylivka and Novoandriivka.
In the Prydniprovske sector, the Ukrainian defenders have repelled one enemy attack today." Uktin

In "Major Policy Shift" Biden Authorizes Ukraine's Use Of US Missiles To Hit Targets Inside Russia

"The outgoing Biden admin, in a seemingly desperate move to destabilize the global geopolitical picture, has authorized the lifting of some restrictions on Ukraine’s use of western-made weapons to strike military targets inside Russia, according to reports from Bloomberg and the AP. The decisioykn was reportedly shaped by North Korea ramping up support for President Vladimir Putin’s army and an increase in Russian missile and drone attacks on its neighbor.

The approval represents a major U.S. policy shift and comes as the deep state-supported, dementia-ridden puppet Joe Biden is about to leave office and incoming President-elect Donald Trump has said he would bring about a swift end to the war and has expressed skepticism over continued support by the United States.

If approved, the capability would likely be used first in the Kursk region of Russia, where Ukraine is fighting against North Korean troops as well as Moscow’s forces, the people said. Still, any permission, if granted, is unlikely to go as far as Ukraine has requested, one of the people said.

As the war in Ukraine heads into its third full winter, the US and its allies "have grown extremely concerned" about Pyongyang’s decision to deploy its forces in combat and assessments by some Group of 20 nations suggest North Korea could eventually send as many as 100,000 troops to Russia. The allies believe the deepening cooperation between Putin and Kim Jong Un could have consequences for the security balance in the Indo-Pacific region, Bloomberg has reported previously.

Discussions between the allies over missile strikes have intensified since Donald Trump won US elections earlier this month, another Bloomberg source said. Trump has said he will seek a quick deal between Ukraine and Russia to end the war." ZeroHedge