Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 672
As the war enters its 672nd day, these are the main developments. Here is the situation on Wednesday, December 27, 2023. Fighting Ukraine said it destroyed the Novocherkassk landing ship in an attack on a naval base in Russian-occupied Crimea. Russia acknowledged the ship had been damaged and that the attack started a fire which was brought under control. One person was killed and four injured. Valerii Zaluzhnyi, the commander of Ukraine’s Armed Forces, said his troops remained on the northern edge of Marinka after Russia’s defence minister said Moscow was in control of the now-ruined town, a short drive from the Russian-occupied regional centre of Donetsk. Zaluzhnyi said Marinka “no longer existed” due to the destruction wreaked upon it. Ukraine said at least one person was killed and four others injured in a Russian attack on a railway station in the southern city of Kherson, where about 140 people were preparing for an evacuation. Ukraine’s Air Force said its air defence systems destroyed 13 of the 19 drones Russia launched against Ukraine during the night. Politics and diplomacy Taiwan announced an expansion to its list of sanctioned goods for Russia and its ally Belarus over Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in a move the Economy Ministry said was necessary to prevent Taiwanese high-tech goods from being used for military purposes. The list includes equipment for making semiconductors as well as certain chemicals and medicines, the ministry said in a statement. Adblock test (Why?)
At least eight killed after severe storms batter eastern Australia
The dead include a nine-year-old child who was swept into a surging storm drain on the outskirts of Brisbane. At least eight people have been killed with one still missing after severe storms battered Australia’s eastern states over the Christmas holidays, bringing down trees and power lines and leaving tens of thousands of households without power. Police and rescue services in the states of Victoria and Queensland confirmed the deaths of eight people, the youngest a nine-year-old girl who was reportedly swept away in a flooded storm drain on the outskirts of Brisbane, Queensland’s capital. In Gympie, some 180km (111 miles) north of the city, three women were swept into a storm drain when floodwaters surged through the rural town. One of the women survived, a 40-year-old woman died and emergency services said there were now “grave concerns” for the other woman. Queensland Fire and Emergency Services deputy commissioner Kevin Walsh said rescue teams would continue scouring the area on Wednesday. “It’s absolutely tragic news for families in this region at Christmas time,” Gympie Mayor Glen Hartwig told ABC News. Severe thunderstorms hit the country’s eastern coast on December 25 and December 26, bringing large hailstones, high winds and torrential rain. Rivers flooded and high winds blew off roofs and brought down trees in some of the worst-affected areas. Eleven people were tossed into the ocean when their boat capsized at sea off Brisbane. Police said on Wednesday that three people had drowned, while eight were rescued from the water and rushed to hospital. “It has been a very tragic 24 hours due to the weather,” Queensland Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll told reporters. The Bureau of Meteorology has warned that coastal regions in Queensland were still at risk of “dangerous” storms as well as “life-threatening” floods, “giant” hail and “damaging” winds. Queensland’s power company Energex said the storm brought down more than 1,000 power lines and about 86,000 households remained without electricity. It was expected to take days to restore power to some people, the company said. Meanwhile, in Victoria, a woman was found dead late on Tuesday evening after flash floods swamped a regional campground in Buchan, 350km (217 miles) east of the state capital Melbourne. Two people were also killed by falling trees. The wild weather also took a toll on the annual Sydney to Hobart yacht race. Less than 24 hours after the 95 boats left Sydney Harbour on December 26 on their way south to the Tasmanian capital, eight entrants had pulled out. The Sydney to Hobart race got underway on December 26 [David Gray/AFP] SHK Scallywag, a Hong Kong-owned ship that had been contesting for the lead, was damaged and crew member Geoff Cropley said the sailors had endured “lightning and thunder for hours”. They were now “hunkered down”, he added, with the weather slowly beginning to improve. First held in 1945, this year marks the 25th anniversary of a violent storm that tore into the 1998 race fleet, with wild winds whipping up mountainous seas in which six people died, five boats sank and 55 sailors were rescued. The east coast storms come after former Tropical Cyclone Jasper made landfall earlier this month, causing flooding and widespread damage in Queensland. In the country’s west, meanwhile, several regions are fighting fires. A volunteer firefighter was killed while responding to a bushfire, media reported. Australia is currently in an El Nino, which can cause extremes ranging from wildfires to tropical cyclones and prolonged droughts. Adblock test (Why?)
‘Possible terror attack’: Israel issues travel warning for its citizens in India after blast near embassy in Delhi
Israeli nationals have been warned to try to avoid going to crowded places (malls and markets) and places identified as serving Westerners/Jews and Israelis.
Ohio Republican lawmaker latest victim of ‘swatting’ incident
A Republican lawmaker in Ohio became the latest victim of a “swatting incident” on Tuesday. State Representative Kevin D. Miller wrote on X that numerous sheriff’s deputies responded to his residence around 3 p.m. on a false report of a shooting. “This ‘swatting incident’ put several lives at risk and was a huge waste of resources,” Miller said. “Special thanks to Licking County Sheriff Randy Thorp and his team for their expeditious and professional response.” Fox News Digital has reached out to the Licking County Sheriff’s Department for more information. “Swatting” involves calling 911 and faking an emergency that draws a response from law enforcement, typically a SWAT team. ‘SWATTING’ GETS A TERRIFYING NEW UPDATE AS CRIMINALS NOW WREAKING ‘EMOTIONAL HAVOC’ AS A PAID SERVICE Earlier this month, the nonprofit group Secure Community Network (SCN) documented nearly 200 swatting incidents over 24 hours targeting Jewish facilities across dozens of states. And on Christmas day, two Republican lawmakers – Rep. Brandon Wiliams of New York and Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia – were the targets of “swatting” calls. Greene signaled it was the eighth time she’d been the victim of a swatting incident. Both incidents are under investigation.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to visit J-K today, six days after Poonch attack
The minister’s visit comes following the death of four army personnel, two of them captain, during an encounter between security forces and terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri district last week.
‘Strong possibility of drone attack’ on MV Chem Pluto in Arabian Sea: Indian Navy
According to the official statement, on December 23, the Indian Coast Guard Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre in Mumbai received information regarding a fire onboard MV Chem Pluto, reportedly attacked by a suspected drone strike or aerial platform.
Turkish parliament’s foreign affairs commission approves Sweden’s NATO bid
Panel’s approval clears another hurdle in Sweden’s accession process to the bloc in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The Turkish parliament’s foreign affairs commission has approved Sweden’s NATO membership bid. The decision, taken on Tuesday, is a key step towards enlarging the military alliance after 19 months of delays in which Ankara demanded security-related concessions from Stockholm. The commission, controlled by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party), voted to back the bid made by Sweden last year after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The next step is a vote by the full parliament, in which the AK Party and its allies hold a majority. Sweden’s NATO membership is expected to pass, and then the measure would go to Erdogan. If he signs it into law, he would conclude a process that has taken nearly two years and frustrated some of Ankara’s allies in the West. Commission head Fuat Oktay, however, played down expectations for a speedy vote in the full Grand National Assembly, telling reporters that the speaker would decide on a timing for the vote. Parliament also has a two-week recess in early January. “The decision to submit it to the general assembly has been made now, but this should not be interpreted as [a sign] that it will pass the general assembly with the same speed. There is no such thing,” Oktay said. In a statement after the commission’s approval, Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom said Sweden welcomed the move and looked forward to joining NATO. NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg also hailed the approval by the Turkish parliamentary commission. “I welcome the vote by the Turkish parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee to ratify Sweden’s NATO membership,” Stoltenberg said, urging Turkey and fellow holdout Hungary to complete their ratifications “as soon as possible”. All NATO members, which now number 31, are required to approve new memberships. Erdogan raised objections in May last year to both Swedish and Finnish requests to join the alliance over what he said was their protection of people whom Turkey accuses of being “terrorists” and over their defence of trade embargoes. Turkey ratified Finland’s bid in April but kept Sweden waiting until it took more steps to crack down on local members of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which Turkey, the European Union and the United States list as a terrorist group. In response, Stockholm introduced a bill that makes being a member of a “terrorist organisation” illegal. Sweden and NATO members Finland, Canada and the Netherlands also took steps to relax arms-export policies affecting Turkey. While NATO member Hungary has also not ratified Sweden’s membership, Turkey is seen as the main roadblock to adding the Scandinavian nation to the military alliance and bolstering its defences in the Baltic Sea region. Erdogan had also linked Turkey’s ratification of Sweden’s membership with the US approval of sales of F-16 fighter jets to Turkey. After a call with US President Joe Biden this month, he said Washington was considering the ratification to move on the request. Adblock test (Why?)
Is Democratic Republic of Congo on the path to renewed violence?
Opposition wants the presidential vote annulled and is planning mass protests. Almost a week on from elections in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), voters are waiting anxiously for the results. The presidential poll was marred by logistical problems and credibility concerns. The Electoral Commission says early results show President Felix Tshisekedi is in the lead. But opposition candidates are complaining of irregularities and ballot fraud. They want the vote annulled and are calling for protests this week. What happens if it’s not? Is this a recipe for yet another cycle of violence and turmoil in DRC? Presenter: Dareen Abughaida Guests: Patrick Muyaya – Democratic Republic of Congo government spokesperson Marie-Roger Biloa – African affairs analyst and editor of Africa International Media Group Jason Stearns – Founder and strategic adviser for the Congo Research Group at New York University Adblock test (Why?)
Ukraine says at least one killed in Russian attack on Kherson rail station
Ukrainian authorities say Russian shelling of a train station kills a police officer and injures four others. Ukrainian officials say at least one person has been killed and four others injured in a Russian attack on a rail station in the southern city of Kherson, as Russia’s invasion continues to take a heavy toll on Ukrainian civilians. Ukrainian Interior Minister Ihor Klymenk said the Russian shelling struck the rail station on Tuesday as about 140 people there were preparing for an evacuation, killing a policeman. “Thanks to the clear actions of the police, everyone was successfully taken to safe places,” Klymenko said on Telegram. “Unfortunately, a police lieutenant from the Kirovohrad region lost his life due to the shelling … Two more police officers are in the hospital with shrapnel wounds.” The city was captured by Russian forces after they first invaded Ukraine in February 2022, but were pushed out of the city by a Ukrainian counteroffensive in November of the same year. But Russian forces have continued to bombard the city. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported the shelling attack earlier on Tuesday, and two civilians are being treated at a hospital for shrapnel wounds alongside the two wounded police officers. The Ukrainian railway company Ukrzaliznytsya said in a message on Telegram that a train and the station were damaged but that “the situation is under control and the railway is ready to continue functioning.” Roman Mrochko, the head of the Kherson military administration, had said earlier on Tuesday that the city has been targeted for the last day by persistent Russian attacks. The war in Ukraine has continued to kill and injure many civilians, and the conflict has shown few signs of abating soon. Ukrainian fighters struck a Russian ship in the Black Sea on Tuesday, boosting the morale of Ukrainian forces that have faced difficult questions after a much-anticipated counteroffensive failed to win back substantial territory from Russia over the summer. “This latest destruction of Putin’s navy demonstrates that those who believe there’s a stalemate in the Ukraine war are wrong!” UK Defence Secretary Grant Shapps wrote in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter. Adblock test (Why?)
Court reverses former Nebraska US Rep. Jeff Fortenberry’s conviction for lying to federal authorities
LOS ANGELES (AP) — An appellate court on Tuesday reversed a 2022 federal conviction against former Rep. Jeff Fortenberry of Nebraska, ruling that he should not have been tried in Los Angeles. Fortenberry was convicted in March 2022 on charges that he lied to federal authorities about an illegal $30,000 contribution to his campaign from a foreign billionaire at a 2016 Los Angeles fundraiser. He resigned his seat days later following pressure from congressional leaders and Nebraska’s GOP governor. NEBRASKA REP. JEFF FORTENBERRY RESIGNS AFTER CONVICTION FOR LYING TO FBI In its Tuesday ruling, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit wrote that the trial venue of Los Angeles was improper because Fortenberry made the false statements during interviews with federal agents at his home in Lincoln, Nebraska, and in his lawyer’s office in Washington. “Fortenberry’s convictions are reversed so that he may be retried, if at all, in a proper venue,” the decision said. Patricia Hartman, a spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, declined to comment on the ruling’s potential impact for federal prosecutors in Washington. “We cannot comment on matters where we don’t have charges filed,” she said in an email Tuesday. A spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Nebraska did not immediately return a phone message. A federal jury in Los Angeles found the nine-term Republican guilty of concealing information and two counts of making false statements to authorities. He vowed to appeal from the courthouse steps. Fortenberry was charged after denying to the FBI that he was aware he had received illicit funds from Gilbert Chagoury, a Nigerian billionaire of Lebanese descent. At trial, prosecutors presented recorded phone conversations in which Fortenberry was repeatedly warned that the contributions came from Gilbert Chagoury, a Nigerian billionaire of Lebanese descent. The donations were funneled through three strawmen at the 2016 fundraiser in Los Angeles. The case stemmed from an FBI investigation into $180,000 in illegal campaign contributions to four campaigns from Chagoury, who lived in Paris at the time. Chagoury admitted to the crime in 2019 and agreed to pay a $1.8 million fine. It was the first trial of a sitting congressman since Rep. Jim Traficant, D-Ohio, was convicted of bribery and other felony charges in 2002. Fortenberry and his wife, Celeste Fortenberry, praised the court’s decision. “We are gratified by the Ninth Circuit’s decision,” Jeff Fortenberry said in a statement. “Celeste and I would like to thank everyone who has stood by us and supported us with their kindness and friendship.” Representatives from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Los Angeles did not have an immediate comment.