World Briefing: December 25, 2024
On Christmas morning in Ukraine, Russia launched a massive attack with missiles and drones across the country. Explosions were reported in Dnipro, Kremenchuk, Kryvyi Rih, Ivano-Frankivsk and Kharkiv - where in Ukraine’s second largest city ten separate strikes were reported. At least six people were reported injured in Kharkiv, and at least half a million people are reported to be without heat. In Kyiv, people sheltered in metro stations as air raid sirens blared. Some of the rockets appear to have transited the airspace of Moldova and Romania. Critical infrastructure was once again a key target: power outages have been introduced in several regions. In Dnipropetrovsk, some areas will have power for only five hours today. Ukraine's largest private energy company, DTEK, said the attack was the 13th major attack on the Ukrainian energy sector this year. Just after 08:00 GMT, air raid sirens across the country were again triggered due to further missile threats.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that the Russian strikes were premeditated. “Today, Putin deliberately chose Christmas for an attack. What could be more inhumane? More than 70 missiles, including ballistic ones, and more than a hundred strike drones. The targets are our energy sector. They continue to fight for a blackout in Ukraine.”
An Azerbaijan Airlines passenger jet flying from the capital Baku to Grozny in Russia's Chechnya crashed on Wednesday in western Kazakhstan, the Kazakh transport ministry said on Wednesday. "A plane doing the Baku-Grozny route crashed near the city of Aktau. It belongs to Azerbaijan Airlines," the ministry said on Telegram. Azerbaijan Airlines, the country's flag carrier, said the Embraer 190 had "made an emergency landing" around three kilometres from Aktau, an oil and gas hub on the eastern shore of the Caspian Sea. The Kazakh transport ministry said there were 62 passengers and five crew members on the plane - AFP
Even though the flight landed in a fireball after the pilot appeared to have attempted the safest landing possible, there were at least 30 survivors. Azerbaijan Airlines has a relatively good safety record, however almost 20 years ago to the day one of its Antonov aircraft plunged into the Caspian Sea, killing 23 passengers and crew
Worshippers worldwide held subdued Christmas Eve celebrations amid conflicts. Bethlehem marked another somber Christmas Eve on Tuesday in the traditional birthplace of Jesus under the shadow of war in Gaza. The cheer that typically descends on the West Bank during Christmas week were nowhere to be found. The festive lights and giant tree that normally decorate Manger Square were missing, as were the throngs of foreign tourists. The cancellation of Christmas festivities is a severe blow to the town’s economy. Tourism accounts for an estimated 70% of Bethlehem’s income — almost all from the Christmas season. The number of visitors to Bethlehem plunged from a pre-COVID high of around 2 million per year in 2019 to fewer than 100,000 in 2024, said Jiries Qumsiyeh, the spokesperson for the Palestinian Tourism Ministry. In Saydnaya, Syria, a large crowd gathered near a historic monastery on Christmas Eve to witness the lighting of a towering tree adorned with glowing green lights. The celebration offered a rare moment of joy in a city scarred by over a decade of war and its infamous prison, where tens of thousands were held. Families and friends stood by the illuminated tree — some wearing Santa hats, others watching from rooftops — while a band played festive music and fireworks lit up the sky. “This year is different — there’s happiness, victory and a new birth for Syria and a new birth for Christ,” said Houssam Saadeh, one attendee. Another, Joseph Khabbaz, expressed hope for unity across all sects and religions in Syria, dismissing recent Christmas tree vandalism as “isolated incidents.” - AP
Global hunger is rising, but total humanitarian aid from wealthy nations to UN is shrinking. The UN projects at least 117 million will go without aid in 2025. Germany, a top U.N. humanitarian donor, is reducing aid, and Sweden has just announced the permanent suspension of support to the main UN agency providing aid to Palestinian populations in the Middle East. There are fears of further cutbacks in humanitarian aid after the second Trump administration takes power in January.
The world's deadliest tsunami hit nations around the Indian Ocean two decades ago before social media platforms flourished, but they have since transformed how we understand and respond to disasters — from finding the missing to swift crowdfunding. Today, billions can follow major events in real-time on social media, enabling citizen journalism and assistance from afar, despite the real risk of rumor and misinformation. During Spain's worst floods for decades in October, people voluntarily managed social media accounts to assist relatives trying to locate their missing loved ones. After Turkey's devastating earthquake last year, a 20-year-old student was rescued thanks to a post of his location while buried under the rubble. Mobile apps and online accounts now quickly publicize information about hospitals, evacuation routes or shelters. But these same devices and apps can also spread disinformation and rumours - Japan Times
