Russia, Ukraine exchange hundreds of prisoners in largest release of war

"Russia and Ukraine have exchanged hundreds of prisoners of war in the biggest single release of captives since Russia’s invasion began in February 2022.
Ukrainian officials said that 230 of its prisoners were released while Russia said 248 of its soldiers were returned after mediation by the United Arab Emirates." AJ

Moscow says Belgorod region targeted by drones

"Russia says its air defence systems destroyed 12 Ukraine-launched missiles over the Belgorod region along the border." AlJazeera

57 combat clashes on front lines, Ukrainian forces advance near Verbove

"Ukraine's defense forces have repelled enemy attacks in five sectors and advanced near Verbove, Zaporizhzhia region.Fifty-seven combat clashes took place in the past 24 hours. In total, the enemy launched 89 missile strikes, 72 air strikes, including Shahed-136/131 drone

strikes and carried out 48 MLRS attacks on the positions of our troops and settlements. Unfortunately, due to Russian terrorist attacks, there are dead and over 130 wounded civilians, including children. Over 100 private residential and apartment buildings and other civilian and industrial infrastructure in the Kyiv, Kharkiv, Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, Mykolaiv and Odesa regions were destroyed and damaged,The enemy launched air strikes on Bilohorivka and Serebrianske Forestry in the Luhansk region, Avdiivka, Novomykhailivka and Heorhiivka in the Donetsk region, as well as Novodanylivka and Orikhiv in the Zaporizhzhia region.
About 120 settlements in the Chernihiv, Sumy, Kharkiv, Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, and Mykolaiv regions came under artillery fire." Ukrin

Biden Admin Says US, Israel Not Behind Iran Blast As Death Toll Surpasses 100

"The death toll in Kerman city has risen to at least 103 killed, and over 141 injured, with new details being revealed in state-backed IRNA news as follows: "The first blast took place 700 meters away from Martyr General Qassem Soleimani’s tomb and the second explosion

happened one kilometer away from it." Other sources are saying there were well over 170 injuries in the aftermath. "The explosions dispersed mourners from Kerman’s cemetery and ambulances rushed to deliver the injured to hospitals in the city," the report continues. This was among the single deadliest attacks in all of Iranian history.
However, some top Iranian officials did quickly point the finger at Israel and the US. This prompted a quick rejection of the allegation by the Biden administration, which also sought to distance Israel from the mass casualty event too:
State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said the U.S. had no reason to believe that Israel was involved in the explosion, and added, “the United States was not involved in any way, and any suggestion to the contrary is ridiculous.”
Ayatollah Ali Ali Khamenei also did not specify any country potentially behind the major attack on the memorial event. "The enemies should know that, with God's permission, perpetrators of this tragedy will be met with a strong response," he posted to X." ZH

56 combat clashes took place on the front lines in Ukraine

"In the past 24 hours, 56 combat clashes took place on the front lines in Ukraine.Throughout the day, the enemy used 135 means of air attack: missiles of various types and combat UAVs. Ukraine’s air defense forces destroyed 107 aerial targets: 35 out of 35 Shahed-136/131 combat UAVs, 10 out of 10 Kh-47M2 Kinzhal air-launched ballistic missiles, 59 out of 70 Kh-101/Kh-555/Kh-55 cruise missiles, 3 out of 3 Kalibr cruise missiles." Ukrin

Sergey Karaganov: Russians are the real Europeans, the West of the continent has lost its way

"German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said: "The European Union must be ready for war by the end of the decade." Berlin has started talking about the return of universal military service and preparations for a confrontation with Moscow. There are similar sentiments in Poland. But is it only because of the events in Ukraine?

Evgeny Shostakov: Mr. Karaganov, given the current difficult foreign policy situation, is there a need for a conceptually different theory of deterrence against Russia's enemies in order to stop the growing confrontation at an early stage, and to discourage our adversaries from fueling conflicts?
"The elites of Western Europe – and especially in Germany – are in a state of historical failure. The main basis of their 500-year domination [of the world] was military superiority, on which the economic, political and cultural dominance of the West was built. But this has been knocked out from under them. With the help of this advantage, they manipulated the world's resources in their favor. First they plundered their colonies, and later they did the same, but with more sophisticated methods.
Today's Western elites are failing to address a range of growing problems in their societies. These include a shrinking middle class and rising inequality. Almost all their initiatives are failing. The European Union, as everyone knows, is slowly but surely sprawling out. That is why its ruling class has been hostile to Russia for about 15 years now. They need an external enemy; Josep Borrell [the EU’s top foreign affairs official] called the world around the bloc a jungle last year. Indeed, in the past, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said that the sanctions adopted by the EU [against Russia] were necessary first and foremost to unite the European Union and prevent it from collapsing." RT

Iran deploys navy to Red Sea

"Iran’s Alborz destroyer crossed the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait and entered the Red Sea...The Iran-affiliated Shiite group has controlled large swaths of Yemen, including the capital Sanaa and the port of Al-Hudaydah, since an internal conflict flared up back in 2014. In November, the Houthis began attacking commercial ships passing through the Red Sea, which they believe to be Israeli-owned or headed for Israel." RT

Turkey arrests suspected Israeli spies

"Turkey arrested 33 people suspected of spying for Israel on Tuesday and is reportedly

pursuing another 13 believed to be involved with the West Jerusalem's Mossad intelligence agency, according to Anadolu Agency." RT

Hamas says deputy leader killed in blast in southern Beirut

"Hamas deputy head Saleh al-Arouri was killed by an Israeli

strike in the Lebanese capital's
southern suburbs, according to the group's Al Aqsa TV station. Responding to the attack, Hamas vowed his killing would not end their "resistance". Videos circulating on social media showed serious damage and fire." France24

Russians launch Kinzhal missiles for second time: explosions ring out in Kyiv again

"At 08:04, the Ukrainian Air Force reported: "Several more Kinzhals heading towards Kyiv!"

At 08:28, the Air Force said the Kh-47M2 Kinzhal aeroballistic missile launch was recorded again and they were flying towards Kyiv.
At 08:30, new explosions rang out in the capital.
Prior to that, there was a series of loud explosions in Kyiv. Missile debris crashed in several Kyiv’s districts, causing casualties. Some Kyiv residents are experiencing issues with power and water supply." Pravada

Powerful Earthquake Hits Japan, Causing Tsunami

"A powerful 7.6-magnitude earthquake struck an area along the west coast of Japan, causing a
tsunami wave of at least 4 feet as well as structural collapses and a large fire.
At least 30 people were killed in the earthquake in Ishikawa prefecture, according to the prefecture, and the death toll was expected to rise as authorities responded to more than a dozen reported cases of people trapped inside collapsed homes.
A fire that engulfed at least several blocks in the city of Wajima on the Noto Peninsula in Ishikawa was mostly extinguished by Tuesday morning, footage from news helicopters showed. Tsunami warnings that were issued for areas facing the Sea of Japan following the quake and a series of aftershocks were lifted by midmorning." AP

US sinks Houthi boats used to attack merchant vessel in the Red Sea

"U.S.

Navy helicopters sank three small boats used by Iran-backed Houthi militants to attack
a Maersk merchant vessel in the Red Sea, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said on. A spokesperson for the Yemen-based Houthis said 10 militants were “killed or missing” following the U.S. strike." France24

Russia Launches Retaliatory Strikes on Ukrainian Decision-Making Centers

"The Russian

military made good on its promise to "punish" those responsible for the  attack
on Belgorod, striking a series of military facilities and decision-making centers in the city of Kharkov." Sputnik

Museum of General Cornet Ukrainian Insurgent Army Shukhevych in Lviv completely burned down due to Shahed drone attack

"The Russians have completely destroyed the museum of UPA (Ukrainian Insurgent Army) Corporal Roman Shukhevych in Lviv on the birthday of Stepan Bandera." Pravada

Strikes recorded in Mykolaiv Oblast

"Strikes were recorded in Mykolaiv Oblast on the night of 31 December -1 January." Pravada