## US to send $15 billion to Ukraine using frozen Russian assets, PM says

Authored by kyivindependent.com

The United States will provide Ukraine with $15 billion, backed by future revenues from frozen Russian assets, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal announced on Dec. 30.

The agreement was signed between Ukraine's Finance Ministry and the World Bank, Shmyhal said.

"We thank the United States and the World Bank for implementing and supporting this initiative, which forces Russia to pay for its aggression against Ukraine," he added/.

Shmyhal previously announced on Dec. 20 that Ukraine had already begun receiving U.S. funds under the framework of the G7's $50 billion loan program, covered by profits from frozen Russian assets.

On Dec. 24, Ukraine received $1 billion from the United States in profits from these assets, according to Shmyhal.

Meanwhile, the Russian Embassy in London condemned a similar plan by the U.K. to transfer more than 2 billion pounds ($2.5 billion) to Ukraine using frozen Russian assets, calling it a "fraudulent scheme.".

The majority of the frozen Russian assets are held in EU countries. »

### Team17 co-founder Martyn Brown dies aged 57

Authored by gamesindustry.biz

Games industry veteran Martyn Brown has died aged 57.

In the years since Team17, Brown formed consultancy group Insight For Hire, and has supported studios including Double Eleven, Exient and New Star Games.

Riot Games' EMEA senior director of publishin Hannes Seifert said it was a huge honour to have known Martyn Brown over 28 years. »

### Jimmy Carter took on the awful Guinea worm when no one else would — and he triumphed

Authored by npr.org

Jimmy Carter took on the awful Guinea worm when no one else would — and he triumphed.

"He really put Guinea worm and other neglected diseases on the map," says Adam Weiss, director of the Guinea Worm Eradication Program at the Carter Center.

When Carter got involved in Guinea worm eradication in 1986 there were 3.6 million cases. »

### Anthony Hopkins Marks 49 Years of Sobriety Just 2 Days Ahead of His 87th Birthday

Authored by people.com

Just two days ahead of his 87th birthday, the Oscar-winning actor posted a video on Instagram to share a story about the moment he decided to quit drinking.

“Forty-nine years ago today, I stopped,” the star said in the clip, as he mimed a drinking gesture.

Just days earlier, Hopkins shared another video on Instagram, this one all about spreading some Christmas cheer. »

### 2024 was a bad year for basic decency in America. You can thank Trump for that. | Opinion

Authored by usatoday.com

Humans aren’t great at basic decency, and I assume it didn’t take long for the earliest iteration of a human being to do something obnoxious.

An entire community of legal immigrants in Ohio got labeled dog-eaters to give stupid politicians something to fearmonger.

2024 was a bad year for America’s sense of right and wrong. »

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