The unprecedented attack in Russia threatened a major escalation of the nine-month war because it hit an airfield housing bombers capable of carrying nuclear weapons. President Vladimir Putin has threatened to use all available means to defend his land, a remark many have interpreted to include nuclear weapons.
Russia has been launching almost weekly bombardments of Ukraine in retaliation for another bold attack — the October 8 truck bombing of a vital bridge linking its mainland to the Crimean Peninsula.
On Monday, Putin tried to show his country could bounce back from that embarrassment by driving a car across the partially repaired bridge. Putin personally opened the 19-kilometer bridge in 2018 as part of an expensive effort to solidify his claim on Crimea, which Russia illegally annexed in 2014.
In Monday’s retaliatory barrage, missiles knocked out basic services in several Ukrainian regions in Moscow’s strategy to inflict more pain just as winter approaches. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said four people were killed in Monday’s barrage.
Ukraine’s air force claimed it shot down more than 60 of the 70 missiles, and Zelenskyy again showed defiance, praising workers who immediately tried to restore power.
“Every downed Russian missile is concrete proof that terror can be defeated,” Zelenskyy said in his nightly address.
Ukraine said early indications showed Russia fired 38 cruise missiles from carriers in the Caspian Sea and from the southern Rostov region. In addition, 22 Kalibr cruise missiles were fired from Russia’s Black Sea fleet, and long-range bombers, fighter jets and guided missiles were also involved, it said.
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Gautam Adani among 3 Indian billionaires on Forbes Asia Heroes of Philanthropy list
Indian billionaires Gautam Adani, Shiv Nadar, and Ashok Soota, as well as Malaysian-Indian businessman Brahmal Vasudevan and his lawyer wife Shanthi Kandiah, were named in the 16th edition of Forbes Asia’s Heroes of Philanthropy list released on Tuesday. The unranked list “highlights leading altruists in the Asia-Pacific region who demonstrated a strong personal commitment to philanthropic causes,” Forbes said in a press release. Adani was listed for having pledged Rs 60,000 crores (USD 7.7 billion) when he turned 60 in June this year. The pledge makes him one of India’s most generous philanthropists, the press release said.
Drone strikes oil tank at airfield in Russia’s Kursk near Ukraine border
A drone attack on an airfield in Russia’s Kursk region set fire to an oil storage tank, a local governor said on Tuesday. “There were no casualties. The fire is localized. All emergency services working at the site,” Roman Starovoyt, the governor of the region, said on the Telegram messaging app. Reuters was not able to immediately verify the reports. The region borders Ukraine.
Actress Kirstie Alley has died after battling cancer, her family announced. She was 71 years old: ABC News
Central Asia is our extended neighbourhood; we accord highest priority to this region
– NSA Ajit Doval at India-Central Asia meeting
A peaceful, secure, prosperous Central Asia is in our common interest
– NSA Doval at India-Central Asia meeting of national security advisors
Beijing Capital Airport drops negative COVID test requirement from Tuesday
The Beijing Capital International Airport no longer requires a negative COVID-19 test result for entry to terminals, starting from Tuesday, state media said. Entrants do not need to provide a certificate of a negative nucleic acid test, the Beijing News, a newspaper owned by the Chinese Communist Party, said.
A blast reported in Afghanistan’s Balkh province, casualties fears, reports Afghanistan’s Tolo News
Indonesian parliament approves legislation to outlaw extra-marital sex
Sensex falls 444.53 points to 62,390.07 in early trade
Nifty declines 123.15 points to 18,577.90
India logged 165 new Covid cases, while active cases declined from 4,434 to 4,345: Govt.
Delhi faces another ‘very poor’ air day with 337 AQI
Congressman Krishnamoorthi campaigns for Georgia Senate runoff
Indian-American Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi has campaigned in the US State of Georgia to organise and galvanise the Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) community ahead of the crucial Senate run-off. Democratic Party’s Senator Raphael Warnock is fighting a tough battle against his Republican opponent Herschel Walker in the critical election race, the result of which would decide whether his party would gain a majority in the 100-member Senate, or result in a tie like the current one when both parties have 50 seats each, with Vice President Kamala Harris casting her crucial vote in the event of a tie.
Trinamool spokesperson Saket Gokhale held in Gujarat, claims Derek O’Brien
TMC national spokesperson @SaketGokhale arrested by Gujarat Police. Saket took a 9pm flight from New Delhi to Jai… https://t.co/Vl7AIny7uN
— Derek O’Brien | ডেরেক ও’ব্রায়েন (@derekobrienmp) 1670294449000
Pfizer, BioNTech countersue Moderna over COVID-19 vaccine patents
Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech fired back on Monday at a patent lawsuit filed by Moderna Inc in Boston federal court over their rival COVID-19 vaccines, seeking a dismissal of the lawsuit and a court order that they did not infringe Moderna’s patents.
India believes that credibility of our collective fight against terrorism can be strengthened only when we can ensure accountability for grave & inhuman acts of terror & take strong measures against those who encourage,support & finance terrorism
– R Kamboj, India’s Ambassador to UN
Terrorism in all its forms and manifestations remains a global challenge and only a unified and zero-tolerance approach to terrorism can eventually defeat it
– Ruchira Kamboj, Ambassador of India to the United Nations, at the UNSC meeting on Iraq
PepsiCo to cut hundreds of jobs as economic pain grows, WSJ says
PepsiCo Inc. is laying off headquarters workers from its North American snack and beverage units, according to the Wall Street Journal, in a sign that corporate reductions are beginning to extend beyond technology and media companies.
North Korea fires more artillery shells into sea in response to South Korea drills -KCNA
North Korea said on Tuesday it has ordered military units to fire more artillery shells into the sea, the North’s official KCNA reported, following South Korea’s ongoing drills across the border. The firing comes a day after North Korea said it fired more than 130 shells into the sea off its east and west coasts, some of which landed in a buffer zone near the sea border between the two Koreas, in what Seoul called a violation of a 2018 inter-Korean agreement to reduce tensions.
Beijing no longer requires COVID test results to enter supermarkets, buildings
China’s capital Beijing no longer requires people that enter supermarkets and commercial buildings to show negative COVID-19 tests on their mobile phones, the city government said in a statement on Tuesday. However, the city still requires negative test results to enter Internet cafes, schools, bars, KTV lounges, indoor gyms and elderly care institutions.
China reports 28,062 new COVID cases
China reported 28,062 new COVID-19 infections on Dec. 5, of which 5,046 were symptomatic and 23,016 were asymptomatic, the National Health Commission said on Tuesday. That is compared with 30,014 new cases a day earlier – 4,318 symptomatic and 25,696 asymptomatic infections, which China counts separately.
Amnesty International Canada says it was hacked by Beijing
The Canadian branch of Amnesty International said Monday it was the target of a cyber attack sponsored by China. The human rights organization said it first detected the breach on October 5, and hired forensic investigators and cybersecurity experts to investigate. Ketty Nivyabandi, Secretary General of Amnesty International Canada, said the searches in their systems were specifically and solely related to China and Hong Kong, as well as a few prominent Chinese activists. The hack left the organization offline for nearly three weeks.
Canada to provide C$15 million for Ukraine demining
Canada on Monday said it will contribute C$15 million ($11.04 million) for equipment needed by Ukraine for humanitarian clearing of landmines. The assistance will help fund detection and clearance of landmines, unexploded explosive ordnance and other explosive remnants of war.
China’s Xi to visit Saudi Arabia this week
Chinese President Xi Jinping is set to reach Saudi Arabia on Thursday amid the tension between the US and the two countries. According to CNN citing sources, Xi’s trip to Arabia’s capital Riyadh will include a China-Arab summit in which 14 Arab heads of states are expected to attend. During the two-day visit, a China-GCC conference is also expected to take place.
Australia records first current account deficit in three years
Australia’s current account fell into deficit for the first time in three years last quarter as prices for its resource exports eased and robust domestic demand sucked in more imports, taking some gloss off economic growth overall. Data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics on Tuesday showed the current account slid to a deficit of A$2.3 billion ($1.54 billion) in the September quarter. That was down from a surplus of A$14.7 billion the previous quarter and far away from forecasts of a A$6.2 billion surplus.
Neymar scores, Brazil beats South Korea 4-1 at World Cup
Neymar scored a goal in his return from injury and Brazil beat South Korea 4-1 to advance to the quarterfinals of the World Cup on Monday. Neymar converted a first-half penalty for his 76th goal with Brazil and move one shy of Pelé all-time scoring record with the national team. The 82-year-old Pelé said he was going to watch the match on television while hospitalized in Brazil to treat a respiratory infection.
NASA capsule flies over Apollo landing sites, heads home
NASA’s Orion capsule and its test dummies swooped one last time around the moon Monday, flying over a couple Apollo landing sites before heading home. Orion will aim for a Pacific splashdown Sunday off San Diego, setting the stage for astronauts on the next flight in a couple years.
Half of Kyiv’s region to remain without power for days – governor
About half the region surrounding the Ukrainian capital will remain without electricity for the coming days after Russian missile strikes on power facilities, the Kyiv regional governor said. The strikes on Monday, which plunged parts of Ukraine back into freezing darkness, were the latest in weeks of attacks hitting critical infrastructure and cutting off heat and water to many.
