"The Russian vessel Ursa Major, carrying strategic cargo, sank in the Mediterranean Sea after an explosion in the engine room, the Telegram channel Crimean Wind reports.
Tracking services indicated that the ship stopped at approximately 8:25 p.m. Moscow time(7:25 p.m. Kyiv time). The Spanish rescue ship SALVAMAR DRACO SAR responded immediately, but after the explosion, Ursa Major's AIS system ceased functioning.
The ship reportedly sank around midnight. The vessel CLARA CAMPOAMOR was dispatched to the site of the incident to collect spilled petroleum products.
The crew of Ursa Major was evacuated to the port of Cartagena, Spain.
According to Crimean Wind, Ukraine's Defense Intelligence had earlier reported technical issues aboard the vessel, including malfunctioning the main fuel line." MS
"In rural areas of the Melitopol district, Russian forces deported at least five families in December, Petro Andryushchenko, a former adviser to Mariupol's mayor, reported.
“These deportations occur solely because their relatives serve in the Ukrainian Armed Forces,” he said." MS
"Troops from the mountain motorized rifle unit of Russia's Battlegroup Tsentr wreaked havoc on an unexpected gathering of Polish mercenaries near Kurakhovo in the Donetsk People'sRepublic. The squad commander, Stefan Sazonov—known by his code name, Kobra—described the encounter.
"They were caught off guard because they did not expect my group to arrive at their positions. As we approached their stronghold, we found them sitting and drinking tea, completely unprepared to respond. We instructed them to put their 'hands in the air and surrender,' but they did not understand Russian," Kobra recounted.
According to Kobra, one mercenary chose to surrender wisely, while another made the ill-fated decision to open fire, resulting in both being swiftly eliminated by Russian forces on the spot." Sputnik
"Ukrainian artist Yama Tarhonia has presented Pope Francis with a blue and yellow dove of
peace made from a piece of stained glass from the Church of St Nicholas in Kyiv, which was damaged in a Russian attack on 20 December 2024." Pravada
"According to documents presented on Tuesday, the US is collaborating with local ministries, private contractors, and Big Pharma companies to implement American standards in biological safety and health management in Africa.The documents indicate that the US military-biological presence on the African continent is rapidly expanding. Studies on the resistance of pathogenic microorganisms to medical drugs are reportedly being conducted in 18 African countries, while funding is provided through the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).... one of the “real clients” behind military-biological projects is the Metabiota company. Its requests are reportedly directed towards the US Army’s Infectious Diseases Research Institute, and concerns the training of infectious disease specialists in Kenya and Uganda." RT
"All American Airlines flights were grounded in the U.S. early Tuesday morning after the carrier reported a technical issue affecting its entire system with millions traveling for the Christmas break.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) ordered the flight grounding as a safety precaution. The grounding order applies to all airports.
A post on the FAA website acknowledged the airline’s request for a “nationwide groundstop” for all American Airlines planes and their subsidiary airlines." Breitbart
"Since the beginning of the day, December 23, there have been 164 combat clashes between Ukraine’s Defense Forces and Russian invaders on the frontline, with the most Russian attacks recorded in the Pokrovsk sector.
In the Kharkiv sector, three combat clashes occurred on Monday. The Ukrainian forces repelled one Russian attack near Vovchansk, while two other clashes are ongoing.
Five assaults by the invaders were repelled near Kindrashivka, Petropavlivka, Kolisnykivka, Lozova, and Bohuslavka in the Kupiansk sector, and seven clashes are still ongoing.
In the Lyman sector, the enemy launched 17 attacks in the areas of Hrekivka, Novoiehorivka, Zelenyi Hai, Nova Kruhliakivka, Tverdokhlibove, Nadiia, Novoserhiivka, Terniv, and Ivanivka. Six clashes are still ongoing.In the Siversk sector, in the areas of Bilohorivka and Hryhorivka, The Ukrainian defenders repelled eight enemy assaults; five clashes are ongoing.
In the Kramatorsk sector, the enemy attacked the Ukrainian defenders' positions seven times today near Stupochky, Chasiv Yar, and Predtechyne. Two clashes remain unresolved.
In the Toretsk sector, the Russian invaders attacked Ukraine’s forces positions 13 times in the areas of Dyliivka, Dachne, Bila Hora, Shcherbynivka, and Toretsk. Six clashes are still ongoing.
In the Pokrovsk sector, in the areas of Myroliubivka, Dachenske, Novyi Trud, Novotroitske, Zelene, Novoielyzavetivka, Novoolenivka, Novopustynka, and Uspenivka, Russians have attacked 21 times since the beginning of the day, with 11 attacks have been repelled. Fierce fighting continues.
Seven enemy assaults have already been repelled in the areas of Kurakhove, Petropavlivka, Sontsivka, Stari Terny, and Andriivka in the Kurakhove sector. Eleven clashes are still ongoing. At the same time, the enemy carried out airstrikes on the settlement of Andriivka, dropping two guided bombs.
In the Vremivka sector, seven out of eighteen enemy assaults near Novodarivka, Dachne, Kostiantynopilske, Kostiantynopil, Rozlyv, Rozdolne, Novyi Komar, and Novosilka are ongoing. Additionally, the enemy dropped nine guided bombs on the settlements of Temyrivka and Kostiantynopil.
In the area of Bilohiria in the Huliaipole sector, the Ukrainian defenders repelled one enemy assault.
In the Orikhiv sector, Russians unsuccessfully attempted to dislodge the Ukrainian defenders from their positions four times.
In the Prydniprovsk sector, the Russian forces did not conduct any active actions." Ukrin
"Kilauea, one of the world’s most active volcanoes, erupted on Hawaii’s Big Island, sending out glittering torrents of lava.
The U.S. Geological Survey said its Hawaiian Volcano Observatory spotted signs of an eruption in the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park around 2:30 a.m., after there was elevated earthquake activity beneath the volcano’s summit." MS
"The career jihadist and leader of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, met with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan in Damascus on Sunday, in a first since the overthrow of Assad earlier this month.
One of the more interesting moments from Sunday's presser came when Jolani put the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) on notice.Jolani emphasized that all weapons in Syria will come under state control. He declared that all armed "factions will begin to announce their dissolution and enter the army." Given that Assad's former Syrian Arab Army (SAA) is no longer in existence, this means HTS is working on establishing a national military under its command.
In the remarks alongside the top Turkish diplomat, Jolani directly called out the Kurdish-dominated SDF, which has for years been trained and armed by the Pentagon:
"We will absolutely not allow there to be weapons in the country outside state control, whether from the revolutionary factions or the factions present in the SDF area," he added, referring to the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces.
Turkey views the main component of the US-backed force, which controls swathes of north and northeast Syria, as being linked to the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), its outlawed domestic foe.
The "SDF area" of control is in reference to the Deir Ezzor and Hasakeh regions (east of the Euphrates) in the country's northeast, where the country's oil and gas fields are located. Currently the SDF is battling a Turkish offensive near the northern border area." ZH
"President-elect Donald Trump has pledged to start building a "great Iron Dome" air defense network for the U.S.""I will direct our military to begin construction of the great Iron Dome missile defense shield, which will be made all in the USA, much of it right here in Arizona," the Republican said during a rally in Phoenix on Sunday.
The Iron Dome is an Israeli air defense system that intercepts incoming short-range rockets and shells as part of the country's layers of advanced air defenses. It has a range of about 43 miles.
Trump told the crowd in Arizona on Sunday: "Ronald Reagan wanted to do it many, many years ago, but they didn't really have the technology … But they have it now, you can knock a needle out of the sky." Newsweek
"Russian President Vladimir Putin sent a grim warning to Ukrainian leader VolodymyrZelensky - and the rest of the wider world - following a drone attack on Kazan, boldly stating: "They will face many times more destruction".
Putin unleashed his fierce scolding in response to Ukrainian drones blitzing the Russian city of Kazan, striking a crucial fuel depot for the second occasion in just over a week, disclosed a top Russian regional figure." IrishStar
"Tonight, a massive 'Chrismas Eve asteroid' the size of a ten-story building will skim past Earth at 14,743mph According to NASA's Asteroid Watch dashboard, the space rock 2024 NX1 will reach its closest point to Earth at 02:56 am GMT in the early hours of Christmas Eve." MS
"A cluster of fireballs streaked across the Southern sky Saturday night, leaving witnesses dazzled and alarmed — especially in light of reports of mysterious drone sightings in New Jersey and across the northeast.This time, though, the truth is out there.
Experts say the spectacular light show was the result of a derelict Chinese satellite colliding with Earth’s atmosphere.
The decommissioned satellite entered the atmosphere above New Orleans around 10 p.m. and burned over Mississippi, Arkansas, and Missouri, astronomer Jonathan McDowell of the Harvard–Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics posted on X.
Not everyone is buying the “harmless space junk” narrative.
“Chinese satellites and Chinese drones over American soil. I mean what could go wrong,” wrote another." MS
"Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights Dmytro Lubinets will appeal to the UnitedNations and the International Committee of the Red Cross about the execution of five more captured Ukrainian soldiers by Russian troops.
The Brigadier General Mark Bezruchko 110th Separate Motorized Brigade has posted a video showing yet another crime committed by the Russians, the execution of soldiers who have surrendered. The video shows Russian soldiers shooting five Ukrainian captured defenders." Ukrin
"The UK economy is heading "for the worst of all worlds" as GDP showed no growth in the third quarter of 2023, according to official figures.
The stagnation comes as business groups warn that activity is set to fall at the start of the new year. The Office for National Statistics said that UK gross domestic product (GDP) showed no growth between July and September, in the run up to the Autumn budget. Statisticians had previously estimated 0.1 per cent growth for the quarter." GBN
