Israel’s population growth fell to 0.9%, the lowest since the state’s founding, according to new research by the Taub Center for Social Policy Studies in Israel.

The slowdown is driven by higher death rates, declining fertility across all population groups, and a rise in emigration.

Demographers say Israel’s peak natural growth is over and is expected to keep shrinking.

Maintaining growth above 1% would now require net immigration—but recent years have seen more people leaving than arriving.

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Türkiye will allow visa-free entry for citizens of China starting Jan. 2, permitting tourist and transit stays up to 90 days within 180 days.

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Jackie Chan:

Recently, I watched a video. As soon as I saw that child speak, I started crying. He was asked, “What will you be when you grow up?” He said, “Children on our side don’t grow up.” My tears just came falling down instantly.

Gaza… the children of Gaza… Every day, being bombed. When he said that sentence, he had no expression. So, you see, growing old is a form of happiness.

BIG: Iranian protesters set fire to a Basij base in Asadabad.

Interesting repost by Trump on Truth Social:

Putin ‘attack’ bluster shows Russia is the one standing in the way of peace.

A protester confronts Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian during a public speech.

Protester: Mr. Pezeshkian, please take ten minutes to review your debate statements. People are under severe pressure due to livelihood issues.

Pezeshkian: We are also concerned about the people’s livelihoods.

Finnish police seized a cargo ship suspected of damaging an undersea telecoms cable between Finland and Estonia in the Gulf of Finland.

The vessel, Fitburg, was detained while sailing from St Petersburg to Haifa. All 14 crew members were arrested.

Trump:

We are removing the National Guard from Chicago, Los Angeles, and Portland, despite the fact that CRIME has been greatly reduced by having these great Patriots in those cities, and ONLY by that fact.

Portland, Los Angeles, and Chicago were GONE if it weren’t for the Federal Government stepping in.

We will come back, perhaps in a much different and stronger form, when crime begins to soar again - Only a question of time!

It is hard to believe that these Democrat Mayors and Governors, all of whom are greatly incompetent, would want us to leave, especially considering the great progress that has been made???

Ukraine is attacking Russia with drones.

NEW: The U.S. military says it conducted kinetic strikes against three “narco-trafficking vessels” traveling as a convoy.

U.S. officials say Ukraine did not target Putin in a recent drone strike, contradicting Moscow’s claim of an assassination attempt.

A CIA assessment found no evidence that Putin or his residence was attacked.

Instead, Ukraine was aiming at a known military target in the same region, not near Putin’s residence.

Source: WSJ

Zelensky:

Russia does not end its wars on its own; there has never been a war in history that it ended of its own free will—only under pressure, only under coercion, which it then calls a “goodwill gesture.”

This has been true throughout its entire existence, as confirmed by Poland, Türkiye, Finland, Syria, Georgia, Abkhazia, Ossetia, and Chechnya—because almost the entire territory of Russia was assembled through wars.

Zelensky:

Withdraw from Donbas, and everything will be over—this is what deception sounds like when translated from Russian.

Zelensky:

Have our arguments been heard? We very much hope so. Have they agreed with us? Not fully—not yet.

That is precisely why, for now, we speak of ninety percent, not one hundred percent, readiness of a peace agreement.

Zelensky:

Intentions must become security guarantees and therefore be ratified—by the U.S. Congress, by European parliaments, by all partners.

A Budapest-style piece of paper will not satisfy Ukraine; Ukraine does not need a Minsk-style, meticulously drafted trap.

Signatures under weak agreements only fuel war. My signature will be under a strong agreement.

Zelensky:

What does Ukraine want? Peace—yes. At any cost? No. We want the end of the war, not the end of Ukraine.

Are we tired? Extremely. Does that mean we are ready to surrender? Those who think so are deeply mistaken.

Zelensky:

When Putin says, “We’re not going to attack you,” that is the first warning of exactly where his tanks will go and where his drones will fly.

And today we have every right to say this plainly: Ukraine is the only shield that separates Europe’s comfortable way of life from the Russian world.

Bulgaria has adopted the euro, becoming the 21st member of the eurozone.

Zohran Mamdani was sworn in shortly after midnight Thursday as New York City’s 112th Mayor, following a private ceremony beneath City Hall Park.

A public inauguration will take place Thursday afternoon at City Hall Plaza, where Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Bernie Sanders are expected to participate.

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The Justice Department is reviewing more than 5.2 million documents related to Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, far more than previously disclosed.

More than 400 attorneys are now involved, but officials do not expect additional releases until Jan. 20 or 21, well past the Dec. 19 deadline set by Congress.

Source: AP

This is the video Jackie Chan was talking about:

“When I grow up! In Palestine, we never grow up. At any moment we might get shot. We might be killed. As we are walking we might find ourselves shot. That’s our life in Palestine.”