Western claims of Russian threat ‘lies and nonsense’ – Putin

The president stressed that Moscow has always strived to find diplomatic solutions to conflicts

Speaking at an expanded Defense Ministry Board meeting on Wednesday, Putin noted that the global geopolitical situation remains “tense” and “downright critical” in some regions. He accused NATO countries of “preparing for a major war” by building up and modernizing their offensive forces while “brainwashing” their population with claims of an inevitable clash with Russia.

“I have repeatedly stated that this is a lie, nonsense, pure nonsense about some imaginary Russian threat to European countries. But this is being done quite deliberately,” Putin said, adding that EU officials have “forgotten their responsibility” and are being guided by short-term personal or shared political interests.

He went on to stress that throughout its history, even in the most difficult circumstances, Russia has always strived to find diplomatic solutions to conflicts and contradictions, so long as there was even a slight chance.

“The responsibility for not seizing these opportunities lies entirely with those who believed they could speak to us through force,” Putin stressed.

The president stated that Russia supports “mutually beneficial and equal cooperation” with the US and European states, as well as the formation of a unified security system across the Eurasian region. He separately noted the progress that has been made in bilateral talks with Washington.

‘Unfortunately, this cannot be said about the current leadership of most European countries,” he said.

Putin went on to state that Moscow recognizes that in any international situation, its armed forces remain the key guarantor of Russia’s sovereignty, independence, security, future, and strategic parity.

https://www.rt.com/russia/629553-russia-putin-west-claims/

Four Republicans Sign Onto Democratic Plan to Force a Vote on Obamacare Subsidies Before January 1 Expiration

A group of four House Republicans on Wednesday joined with Democrats to force a vote on extending COVID-19-era enhanced subsidies under the Affordable Care Act, which are set to expire at the end of the year.

The move follows a protracted battle in both chambers of Congress over how to deal with the expiration. The Senate previously rejected plans from both parties, including a similar Democratic-led extension initiative.

GOP Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick, Pa.; Mike Lawler, N.Y.; Rob Bresnahan, Ohio; and Ryan Mackenzie, Pa.; all signed on to a discharge petition to force the vote, according to Politico.

The measure will likely clear the lower chamber, though it remains unclear whether the Republican-led Senate would approve the extension under the circumstances.

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2025/12/just-four-republicans-sign-onto-democratic-plan-force/

Canadian intelligence officer charged with spying for Ukraine – media

The suspect allegedly shared state secrets without authorization, but prosecutors claim it did not pose a “serious” national security risk

A Canadian military counter-intelligence officer has been charged with espionage after allegedly sharing sensitive state secrets with Ukraine, according to local media reports.

Master Warrant Officer Matthew Robar was arrested last week and appeared before a military court on Monday to face charges of “communicating special operational information,” breaching Canada’s Security of Information Act, and delivering “special operational information to a foreign entity or to a terrorist group.” The offences carry a potential life sentence.

The foreign entity has not been named during the proceedings but sources cited by The Globe and Mail have identified it as Ukraine.

Prosecutors allege that between 2023 and 2024, Robar communicated with an unnamed individual working for a foreign intelligence service about “unconventional activity that involved sensitive techniques.”

According to the prosecution, the project required authorization from senior commanders and Robar’s requests were repeatedly denied. He allegedly continued engagement regardless, developed an unauthorized direct relationship with the intelligence service, and met the contact abroad without approval.

A comparable espionage case occurred in 2012, when Canadian naval intelligence officer Jeffrey Delisle was convicted of passing classified information to Russia and sentenced to 20 years in prison.

However, in Robar’s case, both the defense and the prosecution have suggested that his actions did not amount to a “serious” national security risk, claiming he was “not motivated by personal or financial gain or to cause harm.” Robar has been released on bail.

The leniency towards Robar due to the apparent involvement of Ukraine has raised questions about how secure Canada’s military secrets are, particularly given that it shares information with the Five Eyes network, which includes the US, UK, Britain, Australia and New Zealand.

Earlier this year, US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard ordered intelligence related to Russia-Ukraine peace negotiations to be withheld from foreign partners. The directive came ahead of the Alaska summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump.

Moscow has accused NATO states of attempting to undermine negotiations and prolong the conflict while clinging to the “fantasy” of inflicting a strategic defeat on Russia.

https://www.rt.com/news/629565-canada-officer-spying-ukraine/

Merz warns of direct NATO-Russia conflict

Western forces would be required to act if a potential future ceasefire in Ukraine is broken, according to the German chancellor

Moscow has outright rejected the idea of NATO members contributing to peacekeeping forces in a post-conflict Ukraine. The bloc’s expansion was at the root of the problem contributing to the escalation of the conflict in 2022, according to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The security guarantees allegedly discussed by Vladimir Zelensky and the US delegation on Tuesday would require Western forces to act should a ceasefire be breached.

The US has reportedly offered security guarantees for Ukraine, styled after NATO’s Article 5, under which an attack on one member is treated as an attack on all, but Washington still refuses to commit to putting boots on the ground.

However, Merz claimed that under a potential peace deal, troops from guarantor states would occupy a demilitarized zone separating Russian and Ukrainian forces. If a ceasefire was breached, they would “very specifically” respond to Russian “incursions and attacks.”

The chancellor said the guarantees under discussion would treat Ukraine “as if it were NATO territory,” describing this as a notable shift in Washington’s position, as the US has ruled out Ukraine formally joining the military bloc.

Previous ceasefire arrangements in Ukraine, like the 2014 Minsk agreements, failed despite EU countries acting as guarantors. Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel and former French President Francois Hollande have admitted the Minsk accords were never intended to produce a lasting settlement and were exploited to buy time for Ukraine to strengthen its military.

Merz’s remarks come as several European leaders, including France’s Emmanuel Macron, have been floating the idea of deploying Western forces in Ukraine for months, while calling for increased militarization in response to what they describe as a Russian threat.

Moscow has consistently dismissed claims that it poses a threat to the EU or NATO, warning any foreign troops deployed during hostilities will be treated as legitimate military targets.

https://www.rt.com/news/629568-nato-troops-engage-russia-merz/

Trump Suspends ‘Tech Prosperity Deal’ With UK Over Censorship and Regulations by ‘Online Safety Bill’ Hurting US Tech Companies

No free ride for UK leftists.

After the new National Security Strategy and the latest Donald J. Trump interviews, there’s no doubt in anyone’s minds that the US President will deal in a much tougher fashion with the European ‘allies’.

From now on, implementing deranged policies that infringe basic human rights and hurt US interests will have a price.

Now, Trump has suspended the ‘Tech Prosperity Deal’ with the UK over its censorship push.

https://twitter.com/i/status/2000868026598424853

The Surveillance State Is Making a Naughty List—and You’re On It

The surveillance infrastructure developed to track immigrants is now used to monitor everyone. Immigration enforcement served as the justification, the infrastructure, and the legal gray zone needed to create a permanent surveillance apparatus that treats all Americans as potential suspects.

“He sees you when you’re sleeping. He knows when you’re awake. He knows if you’ve been bad or good, So be good for goodness’ sake.” — “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town”

For generations, “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town” has been treated as a playful reminder to children to be good because someone, somewhere, is watching.

Today, it reads less like a joke and more like a warning.

The Surveillance State is making a naughty list, and we’re all on it.

Long before Santa’s elves start loading his sleigh with toys for good girls and boys, the government’s surveillance apparatus is already at work—logging your movements, monitoring your messages, tracking your purchases, scanning your face, recording your license plate, and feeding it all into algorithmic systems designed to determine whether you belong on a government watchlist.

Unlike Santa’s naughty list, however, the consequences of landing on the government’s “naughty list” are far more severe than a stocking full of coal. They can include heightened surveillance, loss of privacy, travel restrictions, financial scrutiny, police encounters, or being flagged as a potential threat—often without notice, explanation, or recourse.

This is not fiction. This is not paranoia.

This is the modern surveillance state operating exactly as designed.

Santa Claus has long been the benign symbol of omniscient surveillance, a figure who watches, judges, and rewards. His oversight is fleeting, imaginary, and ultimately harmless.

The government’s surveillance is none of those things—and never was.

What was once dismissed as a joke—“Santa is watching”—has morphed into a chilling reality. Instead of elves, the watchers are data brokers, intelligence agencies, predictive algorithms, and fusion centers. Instead of a naughty-or-nice list, Americans are sorted into databases, risk profiles, and threat assessments—lists that never disappear.

The shift is subtle but profound.

Innocence is no longer presumed.

Everyone is watched. Everyone is scored. Everyone is a potential suspect.

This is the surveillance state in action.

Today’s surveillance state doesn’t require suspicion, a warrant, or probable cause. It is omnipresent, omniscient, and inescapable.

Your smartphone tracks your location. Your car records your movements. License plate readers log when and where you drive. Retail purchases create detailed consumer profiles. Smart speakers listen to everything you say. Home security cameras observe not just your property, but your neighbors, delivery drivers, and anyone who passes by.

The government’s appetite for data is insatiable.

In a dramatic expansion of surveillance reach, the Transportation Security Administration now shares airline passenger lists with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, enabling ICE to identify and arrest travelers at airports based on immigration status.

https://thefreethoughtproject.com/government-surveillance/the-surveillance-state-is-making-a-naughty-list-and-youre-on-it

https://www.antiwar.com/

Mossad chief: Israel has duty to ensure Iran cannot restart nuclear program

At spy agency award ceremony, David Barnea says Islamic Republic will break out to bomb ‘as soon as it is allowed,’ says there must not be another ‘bad deal’

Mossad chief David Barnea said on Tuesday that Israel must “ensure” Iran doesn’t restart its nuclear program, six months after the IDF struck the Islamic Republic’s atomic facilities during a 12-day war.

A country sworn to Israel’s destruction, such as Iran, which has “enriched uranium levels that have no explanation other than realizing its desire for a military nuclear weapon, is a country that will break out as soon as it is allowed,” Barnea said at an award ceremony for Mossad intelligence agents in Jerusalem.

“The idea of continuing to develop a nuclear bomb still beats in their hearts. We bear responsibility to ensure that the nuclear project, which has been gravely damaged, in close cooperation with the Americans, will never be activated,” he said.

The outgoing spy chief, who will end his term in June 2026, praised Israel’s surprise opening strikes of the war, which he suggested showed the vast amount of intelligence Israeli spies had collected on Iran.

“Even though the ayatollahs’ regime awoke, in a single moment, to discover that Iran had been entirely exposed and infiltrated, Iran still hasn’t abandoned its ambition to destroy the State of Israel,” Barnea said.

https://www.timesofisrael.com/mossad-chief-israel-has-duty-to-ensure-iran-cannot-restart-nuclear-program/

Heres How You Know Australian Mass Shooting Was A FALSE FLAG!

While the mainstream news media will continue portraying the recent mass shooting at Bondi Beach in Australia as an antisemitic terror attack, a much more likely conclusion is that this was a “false flag” act of terrorism conducted by supporters of Zionism to rally support for their cause and mute criticism of Israel’s genocide in Gaza.

https://youtu.be/teqZo30kvLI

Most Ashkenazi Jews are genetically Europeans, surprising study finds

The origin of the Ashkenazi Jews, who come most recently from Europe, has largely been shrouded in mystery. But a new study suggests that at least their maternal lineage may derive largely from Europe.

Though the finding may seem intuitive, it contradicts the notion that European Jews mostly descend from people who left Israel and the Middle East around 2,000 years ago. Instead, a substantial proportion of the population originates from local Europeans who converted to Judaism, said study co-author Martin Richards, an archaeogeneticist at the University of Huddersfield in England.

Tangled legacy

Little is known about the history of Ashkenazi Jews before they were expelled from the Mediterranean and settled in what is now Poland around the 12th century. On average, all Ashkenazi Jews are genetically as closely related to each other as fourth or fifth cousins, said Dr. Harry Ostrer, a pathology, pediatrics and genetics professor at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York and the author of "Legacy: A Genetic History of the Jewish People" (Oxford University Press, 2012).

But depending on whether the lineage gets traced through maternal or paternal DNA or through the rest of the genome, researchers got very different answers for whether Ashkenazi originally came from Europe or the Near East.

Past research found that 50 percent to 80 percent of DNA from the Ashkenazi Y chromosome, which is used to trace the male lineage, originated in the Near East, Richards said. That supported a story wherein Jews came from Israel and largely eschewed intermarriage when they settled in Europe. [The Holy Land: 7 Amazing Archaeological Finds]

But historical documents tell a slightly different tale. Based on accounts such as those of Jewish historian Flavius Josephus, by the time of the destruction of the Second Temple in A.D. 70, as many as 6 million Jews were living in the Roman Empire, but outside Israel, mainly in Italy and Southern Europe. In contrast, only about 500,000 lived in Judea, said Ostrer, who was not involved in the new study.

"The major Jewish communities were outside Judea," Ostrer told LiveScience.

Maternal DNA

Richards and his colleagues analyzed mitochondrial DNA, which is contained in the cytoplasm of the egg and passed down only from the mother, from more than 3,500 people throughout the Near East, the Caucusus and Europe, including Ashkenazi Jews.

The team found that four founders were responsible for 40 percent of Ashkenazi mitochondrial DNA, and that all of these founders originated in Europe. The majority of the remaining people could be traced to other European lineages.

https://www.nbcnews.com/sciencemain/most-ashkenazi-jews-are-genetically-europeans-surprising-study-finds-8c11358210