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Civilian Plane Crash in Kazakhstan Kills 38 of 67, Investigations Underway

An Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer 190 passenger jet, Flight J2-8243, crashed near Aktau, Kazakhstan, on Thursday, killing 38 of the 67 people onboard. The aircraft, traveling from Baku to Grozny, Russia, made an emergency landing about 3 kilometers from Aktau airport. (Read More)​

Protests Erupt Across Syria Over Alawite Shrine Attack, One Protester Killed

Protests erupted across Syria on Wednesday after a video circulated showing an attack on an Alawite shrine in Aleppo. In the central city of Homs, security forces opened fire to disperse demonstrators, killing one protester and injuring five others, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. (Read More)​

Undersea Power Cable Linking Finland and Estonia Severed, Sabotage Suspected

The Estlink-2 undersea power cable connecting Finland and Estonia was severed on Wednesday, prompting an investigation into the cause. The outage occurred at 12:26 p.m. local time (10:26 GMT). Finnish officials, including Prime Minister Petteri Orpo, confirmed that electricity supplies in Finland remain unaffected, while Estonian authorities also assured adequate power capacity. (Read More)​

Russia Launches Christmas Day Strikes on Ukraine's Energy Infrastructure

On Christmas Day, Russian forces launched a major attack on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, deploying over 70 missiles and more than 100 drones. The strikes caused significant damage across Ukraine. In the Dnipropetrovsk region, one person was killed, and in Kharkiv, seven missile strikes injured six people and damaged residential buildings.(Read More)​

SDF and Turkish-Backed Forces Clash in Northern Syria

The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) reported killing five fighters from the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army (SNA) and injuring another during clashes near Manbij, northern Syria, on Wednesday. The fighting is part of a counteroffensive by the SDF to reclaim areas near the Turkish border following the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime earlier this month. (Read More)​

Ukrainian Drones Destroy Russian Ammunition Depot in Rostov Oblast

Ukrainian long-range drones struck the Kadamovsky military training ground in Russia's Rostov Oblast, destroying a large ammunition depot, according to Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU). The facility, located near Novocherkassk, is one of Russia’s largest military sites and supports troops in the Kramatorsk sector of Donetsk Oblast. (Read More)​​

Sinking Of Russian Cargo Ship In The Mediterranean Sea Labeled As ‘Act Of Terrorism’ By Owner

Oboronlogistika, the owner of the Russian cargo ship Ursa Major claims its sinking in the Mediterranean sea was an "act of terrorism." Ursa Major sank on Monday while traveling through international waters between Spain and Algeria. Prior to the incident, the 142-meter-long Ursa Major reported trouble due to bad weather. (Read More)​

Russian Companies Use Bitcoin to Evade Western Sanctions

Russian companies are using Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies for international trade to bypass Western sanctions, Finance Minister Anton Siluanov confirmed on Wednesday. Under a new experimental legal framework introduced last month, Russian entities can mine and use cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin for foreign trade transactions. (Read More)​​​

Syrian Christians Celebrate Christmas Eve After Protests End with Assurances from New Government

Syrian Christians attended Christmas Eve services on Tuesday, the first since the overthrow of President Bashar al-Assad earlier this month. The service in Damascus took place under tight security, with Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) vehicles stationed around the church to prevent violence. Armed individuals were seen near a Christmas tree, both taking photos and ensuring the safety of the Christian community. (Read More)​