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Saudi ASaudi Arabia could plunge the Russian economy into crisis by flooding the oil market and sending oil prices crashing. According to Business Insider, the kingdom has suggested that crude prices could fall to as low as $50 a barrel. View video here

Cab we get on with the next puzzle?

There are many who think a federal law is all that is stopping Elon Musk from being appointed to the position of Vice President in place of J.D.Vance, who is considered an "interim Vice President". That law is that the Vice President must be a natural born American. Musk was born in South Africa.

'Scream out the truth': Lawmaker calls out Trump team's 'violation of federal law' Donald Trump's transition team was caught in a "violation of federal law," a Democratic lawmaker said on Sunday. Rep. Kweisi Mfume (D-MD) appeared on MSNBC over the weekend, where he was asked about the president-elect's government takeover. Mfume called attention to a recent news development causing outrage among Trump critics, saying the former and incoming president has "refused to sign the agreement on background checks, which is a violation of federal law." "The FBI can't do their background checks, and therefore, you can have Senate conferees coming before the Senate for confirmation that have serious issues in their background that we are unaware of," he said. "So it's good to keep our eye on all of this. The main thing is not to give up. We have seen this play out before. There were many people who stuck their head under a rock when Tricky Dick, Richard Nixon was elected, thinking that would be the end of everything. It happened again with Ronald Reagan in 1980." He continued, saying "This is something we have to build coalitions around. Work step by step, one goal after another, to get straight for the elections coming up 24 months from now." When asked what Democrats can do about the situation, Mfume said "the first thing we can do and ought to do is to scream out the truth and make sure people know what's going on here." "Trump's transition seem stands to lose $7 million in transition money under the Presidential Transition Act. They don't care. They can easily make that money up somewhere else, if no place other than Elon Musk, so they're not worried about losing $7 million as long as they can keep secret the information of who is pulling the strings," he added. "So I think we've got to talk about that, talk about it loudly. I hope that the larger press in this country starts doing real stories on that and turning a real light on it, simply for the fact that we need transparency in this transition. And it's really important to look at also what legally can be done. We're in this situation obviously now where the Justice Department is going through its own transition. The question becomes, who will bring charges? I don't know."

China unnerved by Russia’s growing ties with North Korea, claims US official China is increasingly uncomfortable about North Korea’s engagement with Russia and finds the growing cooperation between Pyongyang and Moscow unnerving, Kurt Campbell, the US deputy secretary of state has said. He was leaning into a growing debate among the US’s security partners in Asia on whether China supports the decision of North Korea’s Kim Jong-un to send 10,000 troops to fight for Russia against Ukraine. It is said the North Korean troops are now inside Russia. There are also doubts in the Japanese foreign ministry that China supports North Korea’s dispatch of troops. Officials say China has largely been silent over the issue, and may be worried that the military collusion in Ukraine will help an American drive to form a network of alliances with South Korea and Japan in east Asia that Beijing already views as aimed at curbing its power. In a rare olive branch China has told Japan it intends to remove a buoy it installed inside Japan’s exclusive economic zone near the Japanese-administered Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea. Although the step is small, the islands are a flashpoint between Japan and China, and it is seen as symbolic of an effort to encourage those inside Japan that do not want to be drawn into a US-led conflict with China. Read more here

UK's Top General Breaks Down Putin's Reluctance to Attack NATO Analysts are examining the factors that have prevented Russian President Vladimir Putin from escalating the invasion of Ukraine into a wider international conflict. View slideshow here

Russia aims to wipe out US missile base Russia has announced that it has identified a U.S. military base housing missiles in Poland as a potential target. The Kremlin considers the military complex in the city of Redzikowo, near the Baltic Sea, to be a provocation, particularly after Washington recently authorized Ukraine to use its long-range ATACMS missiles against targets in Russia. The base, originally opened in 2009, was officially inaugurated this November as part of a broad air defense program established by NATO in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. "This is another frankly provocative step in a series of deeply destabilising actions by the Americans and their allies in the North Atlantic Alliance in the strategic sphere," Maria Zakharova, the Russian foreign ministry’s spokeswoman, said. "This leads to undermining strategic stability, increasing strategic risks and, as a result, to an increase in the overall level of nuclear danger," she added. This week, Vladimir Putin revealed that Russia had launched an intermediate-range intercontinental ballistic missile at Ukraine, emphasizing that he would not hesitate to continue such actions if Russia were struck again. In addition to Washington, London has also authorized Kyiv to deploy Storm Shadow missiles on Russian territory.

Putin: his days are numbered Vladimir Putin could be ousted from power if he attacked the U.S. or the U.K, an expert argues. This week, the Russian president threatened the two Western nations after Washington and London approved Ukraine's use of their long-range missiles to strike targets on Russian soil. Vladimir Putin claimed he could now target London or Washington with his missiles in response. However, security expert Nicholas Drummond told the Daily Express that Vladimir Putin would never follow through with such an action. According to the expert, Russia's powerful elite would stop him from sparking a new world war. He said: "Putin has a very strong grip on power in Russia. He would be very difficult to remove. He is revered in Russia after that chaotic period of the Soviet Union. That is what gave him such a strong power base. "But if he is seen to be doing something reckless, the kingmakers among the oligarchs could rise against him. There could be civil war in Russia. China will play a role too, because China does not want a world war. China has not committed any serious act of aggression in a long time," he added to the British media.

'World War 3 has begun' Terrifying warning from Ukraine's former military chief who says North Korea, Iran and China are now openly standing beside Putin Ukraine's former military chief has warned that World War Three is already underway - with Vladimir Putin's autocratic allies, North Korea, Iran and China, openly supporting his forces on the battlefield. Valery Zaluzhny, who is now Ukraine's envoy to the United Kingdom, told the UP100 award ceremony in Kyiv: 'I believe that in 2024 we can absolutely believe that the Third World War has begun.' The General said that as of this year, 'Ukraine is no longer facing Russia. Soldiers from North Korea are standing in front of Ukraine.' Read more here

I can't believe you've never heard that expression before.

Weight, Nev, weight. It's a common expression meaning "You're not doing your share of the work." In other words, slacking off.

I found a report that although an outspoken opponent of Trump, De Niro is not leaving America. The common reason appears to be "It's not the America I know and love, democracy is dead."

The only ones I know are - Ellen DeGeneres and Portia De Rossi have moved to the Cotswolds, where they was met with banners saying 'Go Home', and Tom Hanks and his wife already own a property in Greece and have Greek citizenship. I believe some are going to Canada or Mexico.

Are they common catchphrases? The answer is "Pulling your weight." I think some here are not. Let's try another video. CP225.mp4

People leaving America due to Trumps election- Robert De Nero George Clooney Ellen DeGeneres Tom Hanks Whoopi Goldberg Probably more I can't think of right now.

That's just a distraction. Just look at the image.

24 hours. It's not that hard.

Here is the ABC report.

Well one thing has been canned. The proposal to fine social media firms 5% of their annual turnover for publishing false news. Elon has won. Age limit on accounts is still on the table. The reason for cancelling was because the LNP and Greens did not believe it was the governments duty to decide what is true or false.

Here's a report on one such suicide. On the night of her death a friend of Charlotte's had told her parents that she was distressed and upset about the latest cyber bullying she had endured. Mr Howard did not reveal exactly what they were told but said that it contained 'some of the worst words that anybody should have to read, let alone a 12-year-old girl'. Cyber bullying has been skyrocket since the introduction of smart phones and new data has confirmed just how stark the rise has been. Before the first iPhone was introduced Australia recorded 55 young people who committed suicide in 2006. In recent generations however, those numbers have almost doubled. There were 100 cases of children who committed suicide in 2020 and reports of self-harm are also increasing in frequency. Some estimates suggest that for every one child who commits suicide there may be as many as 200 others who attempt to.

37 deg yesterday, 19 deg and pouring right now. Arhh Melbourne.