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Trump taps space tourist Isaacman for NASA chief

Jared Isaacman, 43, heads a payment processing company

NEW YORK, December 4. /TASS/. US President-elect Donald Trump named billionaire space tourist Jared Isaacman as administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

"I am delighted to nominate Jared Isaacman, an accomplished business leader, philanthropist, pilot, and astronaut, as Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration," he said on his social media platform Truth Social.

Isaacman, 43, heads a payment processing company and also co-founded Draken International, a firm that, as Politico reported, hired retired military pilots to train Ukrainians on flying F-16s.

In September, Isaacman participated in the first private Polaris Dawn space mission. He, as captain of the mission’s Crew Dragon spacecraft, and engineer Sarah Gillies performed the first ever spacewalk by non-professional astronauts.

NASA is currently headed by Bill Nelson.

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Russian defense ministry says its satellite put into designated orbit

"The blastoff, the flight and the orbiting went as planned," the ministry said in a statement

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Maria Zakharova ighlighted reports suggesting that the Kiev regime's security services are collaborating with terrorists, supplying them with drones and sharing expertise in their use

Putin comments on Trump’s threats to impose 100% duties on goods from BRICS countries

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South Korea unpredictable, Pyongyang right to worry about its security — Russian diplomat

Maria Zakharova also pointed to the fate of former South Korean leaders: some were killed, overthrown, imprisoned, some committed suicide

As impeachment looms, South Korean president sits down with ruling party — news agency

The meeting was attended by People’s Power Party’s leader Han Dong-hoon

Ukrainian army to draft all men soon, officer warns

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Russian airstrikes aid Syrian army in taking out over 100 terrorists in past day

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Ukraine leaves first line of defense due to risk of encirclement of Nadiya in LPR — expert

Andrey Marochko noted that the enemy units have begun to rapidly reinforce their positions near the Pershotravnevoye-Raigorodka motor road

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Russian minister highlights difficulties in establishing depository links with China

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CSTO to hold drills in Belarus, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan in 2025 — bloc’s chief

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French lawmakers adopt no-confidence motion against Barnier’s government

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Mark Rutte once again called on NATO countries to increase weapons supplies to Kiev

Russian defense ministry says its satellite put into designated orbit

"The blastoff, the flight and the orbiting went as planned," the ministry said in a statement

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The Russian president stressed that Russia allowed its German partners to operate under free market conditions in the country

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Maria Berlinskay also recognized the superiority of the Russian army, calling it one of the "strongest armies in the world," and opined that none of the NATO countries would be able to withstand a confrontation with the Russian military

Ukraine to make concessions to Russia under Trump’s plan — agency

It is reported that the US president-elect has yet to establish a working group to develop a peace plan for Ukraine

Syrian airstrikes supported by Russia kill over 1,600 militants this week — TV

It was noted that the government forces "are widely supported" by Syrian citizens

Israel’s top diplomat sees possibility of reaching deal on Gaza hostages soon

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Earlier, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol announced the imposition of martial law

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Irakli Kobakhidze recalled that Salome Zourabichvili’s presidential term expires on December 29

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Tucker Carlson says US embassy in Kiev barred Zelensky from doing interview with him

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Russia-DPRK strategic partnership treaty enters force — KCNA

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Georgian opposition figurehead Datunashvili detained at Tbilisi rally

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Putin describes ban on Russia’s use of US dollars as ‘complete foolishness’

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US seeks to preserve its occupation of northeast Syria — Russia’s UN envoy

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Trump taps space tourist Isaacman for NASA chief

Jared Isaacman, 43, heads a payment processing company

Russian troops break through Ukrainian defenses near Kupyansk, says military expert

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NATO countries want Ukraine to fight until the last young soldier — Szijjarto

The minister noted that the meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Brussels will continue on Wednesday

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Russian forces take up positions in downtown Kurakhovo in DPR — activist

Vladimir Rogov told TASS earlier that Russian troops had moved past the city center in Kurakhovo to fight in the city’s west

Kadyrov admits Elon Musk did not present him with Cybertruck pickup

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Dozens were wounded, and more remain trapped under the rubble of collapsed buildings, news agency reported

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Settlement of Nadiya in LPR up for grabs as Kiev retreats — Russian expert

Andrey Marochko noted that the Ukrainian army was fighting with all its might to beat back Russian forces near the settlement of Belogorovka, hoping to prevent them from making gains and increasing Russia’s pressure on the northern section of the frontline

Russian troops enter Novy Komar settlement in DPR — politician

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Russian Su-34 bomber destroys Ukrainian armor by glide bombs in Kursk area

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NATO chief says bloc needs to be sure Ukraine has enough people to send to fight

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Trump's threats to BRICS states if they ditch dollar are untenable, says Indian expert

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PREVIEW: Top Russian diplomat to participate in OSCE Ministerial Council in Malta

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Russian finance minister says dividends from Gazprom not included in 2025 budget

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Russian forces mopping up Stariye Terny community in Donbass region, says official

Vladimir Rogov said earlier that the liberation of that settlement would deny the Ukrainian army the possibility to relocate units directly between Solntsevka in the north and Kurakhovo

South Korea’s defense minister apologizes to citizens, resigns — media

According to media reports, it was Kim Yong Hyun who advised the president to impose martial law

Russia, BRICS partners plan to develop investment platform — Putin

The Russian leader explained that the investment platform is intended to become a serious instrument for supporting the economies of the BRICS countries and providing them with financial resources

Blinken says younger Ukrainians should be called up for military service

On November 27, Reuters reported that Washington was putting pressure on Kiev to lower the draft age to 18

VTB projects Russian agriculture exports to exceed $50 bln by 2030

In 2023, Russia’s agriculture exports increased to $43.5 bln

Thirteen more global brands to enter Russian market

The companies have confidentiality clauses when they make deals, so sparse details can be offered, including timelines for market entry, Marina Malakhatko said

Strategic defeat would mean destruction for Russia, Putin says

The head of state thanked the troops participating in Russia’s special military operation for rising up to defend the country this time

World is now closer to nuclear war than ever before — US journalist Carlson

No one in Washington "is working to make sure that this conflict doesn’t become a nuclear holocaust," the journalist said

Georgian police detain opposition activist Elisashvili over fistfight

According to the report, Elisashvili is accused of starting a scuffle with the head of the National Congress of Azerbaijanis in Georgia, Ali Babayev, on the grounds of politics

Italian foreign minister admits that Kiev will have to make concessions

In Antonio Tajani's opinion, reconciliation in Ukraine should be achieved in 2025

Another anti-government rally held in Georgian capital

The protesters are carrying Georgian and EU flags and slogans urging the government to step down