A significant "Ukrainian trace" has been detected among foreign fighters in northwestern Syria, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has claimed. The diplomat cited data available on cooperation between Kiev and the terrorist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), including on drones, following a claim Ukraine's intelligence services likely collaborated with the jihadists.

The Kyiv Post has reported that Islamist groups involved in recent attacks in Aleppo province could have been prepared by the 'Khimik' Special Forces unit of Ukraine's military intelligence service (HUR), which allegedly provided "operational training" to militants in Idlib province.

The US president-elect has demanded global allegiance to the US dollar, threatening to punish all who want an alternative currency.

US President-elect Donald Trump has fired a warning shot at the BRICS group of nations, which have been outspoken on confronting the dominance of the dollar in global trade. If the idea gains traction, Trump has promised to impose "100% tariffs," cutting them off from the "wonderful US economy." Which country will feel the heat the most? RT explores the economic ties and dependencies to uncover which nations are in the line of fire.

The timeline tells the story.

November 18: Ronen Bar, Israel's Shin Bet chief, meets with heads of MIT, Turkey's intel.

November 25: NATO Chief Mark Rutte meets with Turkey's Sultan Erdogan.

November 26: Salafi-jihadis assembled by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), formerly Nusa Front, supported by Turkish intel, plus a hefty Rent-a-Jihadi coalition, launch a lightning-fast attack against Aleppo.

The Rent-a-Jihadi offensive originated in Greater Idlibistan. That's where tens of thousands of jihadis were holed up, according to the - now proven failed - 2020 Damascus-Moscow strategy, which Turkey had to grudgingly accept. The Rent-a-Jihadi mob comprises scores of mercenaries who crossed over from - where else - Turkey: Uighurs, Uzbeks, Tajiks, Ukrainians, even ISIS-K imports.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei, earlier their week, confirmed the Salafi-jihadi offensive was coordinated by US/Israel.

Baghaei did not mention Turkey, even as he stressed the terror attack happened immediately after Israel accepted a ceasefire with Hezbollah - already broken by Tel Aviv dozens of times - and after Netanyahu publicly accused Syrian President Bashar al-Assad of "playing with fire" by allowing the transit of modern Iranian missiles and military equipment via Syria to Hezbollah.

Right before the ceasefire, Tel Aviv smashed virtually all communication routes between Syria and Lebanon. Netanyahu subsequently stressed that the focus now is on "the Iranian threat", essential to smash the Axis of Resistance.

According to a Syrian special services source, talking to RIA Novosti, Ukrainian advisers played the key role in the capture of Aleppo - providing drones and American satellite navigation and electronic warfare systems, and teaching Syrian collaborators and Islamic Party of Turkestan operatives how to use them.

Syrian Arab Army (SAA) communications were completely jammed by these electronic warfare systems: "The assault groups and drones were equipped with encrypted GPS devices and extensive use of AI, so that the use and navigation of attack UAVs and kamikaze drones took place from a long distance."

The mechanism was set in place months ago. Kiev made a straightforward deal with Salafi-jihadis: drones in exchange for batches of takfiris to be weaponized against Russia in the US/NATO proxy war in Ukraine.

'An unconstitutional power grab to rewrite history and undermine DOJ integrity'

In a blistering rebuke, a federal judge has openly questioned the constitutionality of President Joe Biden's recent pardon of his son, Hunter Biden, calling it an overreach of executive power aimed at rewriting history and undermining the integrity of the Department of Justice (DOJ).

On December 1, 2024, Joe Biden issued a full and unconditional pardon to his embattled son, Hunter Biden, who faced charges of tax evasion and corruption. The pardon, however, quickly drew ire for its timing and the breadth of its language.

The terrorists' foreign backers aim to weaken the country and sow sedition across the region, Tehran claims.

The jihadist offensive in Syria was launched in coordination with the US and Israel, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Esmail Baghaei said on Monday. According to the diplomat, it is no coincidence that the terrorists attacked northern Syria right after Israel struck a ceasefire deal with Hezbollah.

The Hayat Tahrir-al-Sham (HTS) terrorist group (formerly Jabhat al-Nusra), along with allied militias, launched an assault on government-controlled territory in northern Syria last Wednesday. The jihadists seized a number of villages and towns in Aleppo, Idlib, and Hama provinces, and entered the city of Aleppo on Friday.

The outgoing US administration has a comprehensive toolbox to hinder the president-elect's plans.

US policy towards Russia and Ukraine has always been one of the most significant and controversial aspects of American diplomacy. In 2016, Donald Trump, still a presidential candidate at the time, actively expressed his desire to normalize relations with Russia. However, these plans faced strong opposition, particularly from the outgoing administration of Barack Obama.

This historical context illustrates how incumbent authorities can use a transitional period to solidify their policies, complicating their successor's ability to make changes. Now, as Trump declares his intention to resolve the conflict in Ukraine "within 24 hours" after returning to the White House, he faces significant obstacles from the current administration of Joe Biden, which can use the remaining time until January 2025 to entrench its current course.

The US government secretly controls around half of the funding for the world's largest investigative journalism network, the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP), a joint investigation by Mediapart, Drop Site News, Il Fatto Quotidiano, and others has revealed. The probe also found that the US exerts veto power over OCCRP's leadership and editorial direction.

Launched in 2008 and initially focused on exposing corruption and organized crime in the Balkans, the OCCRP now operates with a budget of €20 million and a team of 200 journalists worldwide, and works with over 70 media partners, including big names such as the New York Times, The Guardian, and Der Spiegel.

It has grown into the world's foremost international investigative journalism player, known for work such as The Panama Papers and the Pegasus Project.

Ceasefire negotiations have resumed in Egypt between Hamas and Israel. A new push for unity between rival Palestinian factions could offer a new path forward, but internal Israeli political strife could once again prevent a deal from taking shape.

An Israeli delegation will leave for Cairo in upcoming days to resume Gaza ceasefire talks, Israeli channel 13 reported on Tuesday. The news comes on the heels of a U.S.-led push to conclude a ceasefire and prisoner exchange deal in Gaza, ahead of Donald Trump's assumption of office.

While the details of the negotiations, and what the deal might look like, are still taking shape, some of the main issues being discussed right now, according to reports, are post-war governance, the role of the Palestinian Authority, a prisoner exchange, and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from key points along the Gaza and Egyptian borders.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke on a phone call on Tuesday during which they discussed the "sharply escalated situation in Syria," according to the readout from the Kremlin press service.

The two leaders agreed to boost their cooperation in order to "normalize" the situation in Syria, reiterating the key role played by Russia, Türkiye, and Iran in the region. The phone call was held at the request of Ankara, the press service added.

"Vladimir Putin emphasized the need to promptly end the terrorist aggression against the Syrian state and to support the efforts of the legitimate authorities to restore stability and constitutional order throughout the country, in particular, using Ankara's existing capabilities in the region."

Deploying military monitors for a possible ceasefire will give European NATO members leverage, a source in the bloc has claimed.

France and Britain are considering whether to deploy troops to the front line in Ukraine, CIA-founded news outlet Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty has reported.

The two countries could send military personnel to Ukraine in the event that Moscow and Kiev engage in peace talks, the Ukrainian branch of the US propaganda network said on Monday, citing a high-ranking NATO official who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Putting Western boots on the ground would help European NATO members to have a say in the outcome of the conflict after US President-elect Donald Trump is sworn in in January, the source claimed.

Trump has said he could resolve the Ukraine conflict in 24 hours following his return to the White House. Outgoing President Joe Biden is ramping up arms deliveries to Kiev in his final days in office.