Ukraine's top security officials meet US negotiators in Miami amid peace push

"Ukraine's negotiators arrived in Miami on Dec. 4 to continue discussions on peace efforts

with U.S. President Donald Trump's envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
Rustem Umerov, the secretary of Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council, and Andrii Hnatov, the chief of staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces, met again with U.S. officials after leading earlier talks in Florida on Nov. 30 and Dec. 1.
The talks reportedly ended late in the evening on Dec. 4, a source in the Ukrainian delegation told the news outlet Suspilne, without providing further details." KI

5.2 Earthquake - Manawatu-Wanganui, New Zealand

"A strong magnitude 5.2 earthquake hit 1,617 km (1,005 mi) away from Palmerston North, Manawatu-Wanganui, New Zealand, in the morning at 7.13 am local time (GMT -12). The depth of the quake could not be determined, but is assumed to be shallow.

The quake was not felt (or at least not reported so)." VD

Ambae volcano erupting after months of quiet, Vanuatu

"Low-level eruptive activity resumed at Ambae volcano (Manaro Voui) in Vanuatu, with intermittent ash emissions observed. Satellite imagery from Himawari-9 confirmed continuous low-level ash and gas plumes reaching up to 1.8 km (6 000 feet) above sea level, drifting northwest. The Wellington Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre (VAAC) issued its latest advisory describing the eruption as continuous but confined within the volcano’s summit area." W

167 combat engagements on frontline

"167 combat engagements took place between Ukraine’s Defense Forces and Russian troops.
Russian forces carried out 61 airstrikes, deploying 173 glide bombs. Also, the enemy conducted 6,664 artillery strikes, including 153 from multiple-launch rocket systems, and used 4,480 kamikaze drones in attacks.

Airstrikes affected, among others, the settlements of Shalyhyne in Sumy region, Ternuvate, Huliaipole, Staroukrainka, Stepnohirsk, Hryhorivka, and Veselianka in Zaporizhzhia region.
Ukrainian aviation, missile forces, and artillery struck two clusters of enemy personnel and equipment and destroyed three artillery systems.
In the Northern Slobozhanshchyna and Kursk sectors, the enemy carried out two airstrikes, dropping a total of five glide bombs, and conducted 175 artillery strikes, including five from multiple-launch rocket systems.
In the Southern Slobozhanshchyna sector, Ukrainian forces repelled four enemy attacks near Izbytske, Prylipky, and Synelnykove.
In the Kupiansk sector, there were two enemy attacks, repelled near the settlement of Pishchane.
In the Lyman sector, Russian forces launched nine attacks, attempting to breach Ukrainian defenses near Hrekivka, Drobysheve, Zarichne, and Oleksandrivka.
In the Sloviansk sector, Ukrainian forces repelled 13 attacks near Yampil, Dronivka, Serebrianka, Fedorivka, and Siversk.
In the Kramatorsk sector, one combat engagement occurred near Chasiv Yar.
In the Kostiantynivka sector, the enemy carried out 16 attacks near Shcherbynivka, Pleshchiivka, Oleksandro-Shultyne, Kostiantynivka, Mykolaipillia, Torske, and toward Berestka and Sofiivka.
In the Pokrovsk sector, Ukrainian forces repelled 52 enemy assault actions near Shakhove, Nove Shakhove, Chervonyi Lyman, Myrnohrad, Vilne, Novoekonomichne, Dorozhne, Shevchenko, Rodynske, Novopavlivka, Pokrovsk, Svitle, Kotlyne, Udachne, Molodetske, and Dachne.
In the Oleksandrohrad sector, Russian forces carried out 19 attacks near Zelenyi Hai, Yalta, Oleksandrohrad, Sosnivka, Stepove, Verbove, Pryvilne, Vyshneve, Pavlivka, Krasnohirske, and Rybne.
In the Huliaipole sector, Ukrainian forces repelled 12 enemy attacks near Zatyshshia, Huliaipole, and toward Pryluky.
In the Orikhiv sector, the enemy made one attempt to breach Ukrainian defenses near Prymorske.
In the Prydniprovske sector, Ukrainian defenders successfully repelled one enemy attack near the Antonivskyi Bridge." Ukrin