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After explosions, an important infrastructure facility burns in Lviv, Ukraine UKRAINE: LVOV PLANT FIRE MOSCOW, December 29th. /TASS/. Explosions that rocked the city of Lviv in western Ukraine caused a key infrastructure facility to catch fire, Mayor Andrey Sadovoy said. “A critical infrastructure facility is burning in Lviv,” he wrote on Telegram. According to the mayor, emergency teams are on site. Explosions were previously reported in Lviv and in the cities of Kharkov and Cherkasy. ТАСС 12/29/2023, 07:42 MSK

Between seven and ten million people are affected worldwide. In Germany alone, 400,000 people live with Parkinson's. However, there are numerous misconceptions about living with the disease: Parkinson's has "only" Effects on the musculoskeletal system The most well-known symptoms are movement disorders and tremors. However, there are also a number of non-motor symptoms, such as sleep disorders or impaired cognitive abilities. 2. People with Parkinson's can no longer work Parkinson's is a progressive disease, but the pace of progression is usually slow. Therefore, many affected people can continue to work with the right treatment. 3.If you have Parkinson's, you can no longer do sports In fact, an active lifestyle and sports can preserve motor functions. A 2023 study[1] shows that aerobic exercise led to improved functional connectivity and cognitive control across brain regions. Conclusion: There is still no cure, but various established treatment methods can reduce symptoms and restore quality of life. In addition to medications, these include exercise therapies or minimally invasive procedures in the brain, such as deep brain stimulation (DBS). Electrodes are implanted in the brain, which are controlled via a small medical device.

The US and Israeli defense chiefs discuss preparations for the “stabilization phase” in Gaza POLITICS: US-ISRAEL-PENTAGON CALL WASHINGTON, December 29th. /TASS/. US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant held a telephone conversation to discuss "preparations for the stabilization phase" in Gaza, Pentagon press secretary Patrick Ryder said. According to him, Austin and Gallant discussed "Israel's military campaign in Gaza and preparations for the stabilization phase that will follow major combat operations." The Pentagon chief "reiterated the US determination to ensure that Hamas no longer threatens Israel's security and stressed the importance of protecting civilians in the Gaza Strip and accelerating humanitarian assistance.” Ryder added that Austin and Gallant "also discussed threats to regional security, including Hezbollah's destabilizing activities in southern Lebanon, attacks by Iranian-aligned militias on U.S. forces in Iraq and Syria, and Houthi attacks on international trade in the United States." Red Sea.” Tensions in the Middle East rose again on October 7 after militants from the radical Palestinian group Hamas launched a surprise incursion into Israeli territory from the Gaza Strip, killing residents of border communities and killing about 200 people, including women, children and older people were taken away. Hostage. Hamas described its attack as a response to the Israeli authorities' aggressive crackdown on the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. Israel announced a complete blockade of the Gaza Strip and began retaliatory strikes on targets in the Gaza Strip as well as certain areas in Lebanon and Syria. There are also clashes in the West Bank. ТАСС 12/29/2023, 00:24 MSK

Countdown to joy: Russians enjoy 10-day New Year holiday COMPANY: HOLIDAY-WEEKEND-NY MOSCOW, December 30. /TASS/. According to the government-approved work calendar, Russians will have 10 days off for the New Year from December 30 to January 8. As December 30th and 31st fall on a Saturday and Sunday this year, the New Year holidays will be longer than usual at ten days. They begin on December 30, 2023 and end on January 8, 2024. Since January 6th and 7th also fall on a weekend, citizens will receive two additional days off in 2024, on May 10th (Friday) and December 31st (Tuesday) 2024. ТАСС December 30, 2023, 00:00 MSK

Syrian air defense shoots down some Israeli missiles fired at facilities near Damascus SYRIA: ARMY-ISRAEL AIR DEFENSE MOSCOW, December 29th. /TASS/. Israel carried out air strikes on Syrian army facilities in Damascus governorate and Damascus International Airport on Friday evening. Some of the Israeli missiles were shot down by Syrian air defenses, said Vadim Kulit, deputy head of the Russian Center for Reconciliation of Opposing Parties in Syria (a division of the Russian Defense Ministry). “Two Israeli F-35 tactical fighter jets carried out a multiple airstrike on Syrian army facilities and the international airport runway near Damascus; Two Israeli F-16 tactical fighter jets carried out an airstrike on Syrian army facilities near Dumeir airfields in Damascus governorate." "Crews of the Russian-made Pantsir-S air defense system shot down 10 guided bombs and three cruise missiles," he said added that military infrastructure facilities were damaged but no one was injured. According to Kulit, the attacks were carried out from the Golan Heights, with Israeli warplanes not entering Syrian airspace. He also said that five shelling attacks on positions of government troops from positions of the terrorist group Jabhat al-Nusra and the Islamic Party of Turkistan (both banned in Russia) were reported during the day in the Idlib de-escalation zone. One Syrian soldier was killed and another injured by mortar fire by militants. According to Kulit, a violation of the deconfliction protocols dated December 9, 2019 was reported in Syria in the past 24 hours in connection with the flights of the US-led drone coalition. In addition, coalition aircraft violated Syrian airspace twice a day in the al-Tanf area, over which international flight routes pass. ТАСС 12/29/2023, 11:22 p.m. MSK

TASS news summary, 9:45 p.m. Moscow time, December 29 NEWS ROUNDUP TASS summarized the most important events in Russia and around the world at this hour. BEFORE THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION MOSCOW - Russian President Vladimir Putin enjoys broad support that spans different age groups within Russian society, including strong support from many young people, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. “It is an undeniable fact that Putin is supported by completely different age groups. In fact, many children and young people support the president, they are his active supporters,” said the Kremlin spokesman. MOSCOW - Support for President Vladimir Putin among Russians is at its highest this year, Peskov said. “This year it was obvious that it reached the highest level due to the support of the president's course and the consolidation of society around the head of state.” MOSCOW - The Kremlin will not announce the format of Russian President Vladimir Putin's New Year's address to the country's citizens, Peskov told reporters. When asked about the main theme of the speech, Peskov replied: “New Year.” *** RUSSIA'S SPECIAL OPERATION IN UKRAINE MOSCOW - Russian forces carried out 50 group attacks and carried out a massive assault on Ukrainian defenses using high-precision weapons and drones, the Russian Defense Ministry said in a weekly report. Locations of Ukrainian troops, nationalist formations and foreign mercenaries were also hit, the ministry added. Russian forces captured 43 Ukrainian soldiers, the Russian Defense Ministry reported, noting that of those 43, 22 surrendered in the Kupiansk direction. MOSCOW - Russian fighter jets and air defense forces shot down 10 Ukrainian planes and two helicopters, according to the Russian Defense Ministry. Russian operational/tactical aircraft and missile forces destroyed Norwegian NASAMS, German IRIS-T and French Crotale-NG air defense systems, one S-300 air defense system radar and three AN/TPQ-50 radars. Russian air defense troops intercepted 33 HIMARS and Uragan missiles, four HARM antiradar missiles, one JDAM guided bomb and 251 Ukrainian drones. *** Middle East conflict DUBAI - At least 20 people were killed in an Israeli attack on the Nuseirat refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip that also left dozens missing, Qatar-based Al Jazeera television reported. CAIRO - The first "organized tent camp" for displaced people will be set up in the Gaza Strip in cooperation with the Egyptian side, a spokesman for the Palestinian Red Crescent Society said. MOSCOW - Israel plans to relocate a significant number of Palestinian nationals from the Gaza Strip to Egypt. The initial number is at least 100,000 people, an informed source told TASS. CAIRO - Around 200 monuments of Christian and Islamic history and architecture in the Gaza Strip were either destroyed or damaged as a result of Israeli attacks, the Gaza Media Office reported. *** ARGENTINA & BRICS BUENOS AIRES - Argentine President Javier Milei has officially informed BRICS members that his country will not join the group, TN television reported, citing a source. BUENOS AIRES - Argentina's new government believes that the question of the country's accession to the BRICS countries requires a more thorough examination, said Manuel Adorni, spokesman for the presidential administration. BUENOS AIRES - In a letter announcing his refusal to join the BRICS group, Argentine President Javier Milei expressed his willingness to meet with the leaders of each member state, La Nacion newspaper reported.< /p> *** CHINA'S NEW DEFENSE MINISTER BEIJING - The Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (China's parliament) has approved... ТАСС December 29, 2023, 9:45 p.m. MSK

US Senator calls for attacks on targets in Iran because of Houthi actions in the Red Sea SECURITY: US-IRAN SENATOR NEW YORK, December 29th. /TASS/. US Senator Lindsey Graham, Republican of South Carolina, has suggested attacking targets in Iran because of Tehran's alleged support of the Houthi rebels in Yemen. “The Houthis are fully supported by Iran. I've been saying for six months now: Strike Iran. They have open-air oil fields, they have the Revolutionary Guard headquarters that you can see from space. Knock it off the map,” he said in an interview with Fox News. After the escalation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in the Gaza Strip, the Yemeni Houthis said they would attack Israeli territory and prevent Israeli-affiliated ships from passing through the waters of the Red Sea and the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait until the Operation begins in 2019 The Palestinian enclave was stopped. The US authorities responded by announcing the formation of an international coalition and the preparation of Operation Prosperity Guardian to ensure freedom of navigation and the protection of ships in the Red Sea. Bahrain, Canada, Denmark, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Seychelles, Spain and the United Kingdom are expected to take part in the operation. ТАСС December 29, 2023, 3:55 a.m. MSK

Israeli attacks kill dozens of Palestinians in Gaza SECURITY: PALESTINE-ISRAEL ATTACKS DUBAI, December 29. /TASS/. Dozens of Palestinians, mostly women and children, were killed in Israeli attacks on various areas of the Gaza Strip in the past 24 hours, Palestinian news agency Wafa reported. According to Wafa, 11 people were killed and dozens injured in an attack on the Al-Fukhari district, east of the city of Khan Yunis. At least 20 people were killed in an attack on a residential building in the city of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip. Israeli aircraft also carried out attacks on the Maghazi refugee camp in central Gaza, killing 14 civilians. According to Gaza's Ministry of Health, over 21,300 people have been killed and more than 55,600 sustained injuries in the enclave since October 7. Tensions in the Middle East rose again on October 7 after militants from the radical Palestinian group Hamas launched a surprise incursion into Israeli territory from the Gaza Strip, killing residents of border communities and killing about 200 people, including women, children and older people were taken away. Hostage. Hamas described its attack as a response to the Israeli authorities' aggressive crackdown on the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem's Old City. Israel announced a full blockade of the Gaza Strip and began retaliatory strikes on targets in the Gaza Strip as well as certain areas in Lebanon and Syria. There are also clashes in the West Bank. ТАСС 12/29/2023, 06:53 MSK

The Italian shipbuilding company DRASS has started building a small DG-160 class submarine at a factory in Romania for an unknown customer. This is reported by maritime specialist and OSInt researcher HI Sutton. • Crew: 7 + 8 people. • Length: 32.24 m • Height: 6.45 m • Displacement: 141 tons on the surface, 169 tons underwater. • Speed: maximum 10 knots, cruising speed 5 knots, surface 8.5 knots. • Armament: 2 x 533 mm torpedoes, plus 2 x 533 mm torpedoes or 6 x mines in the side tubes.

Kiev has no resources to maintain the situation on the battlefield – Russian envoy to the UN SECURITY: UKRAINE-UN RESOURCES UNITED NATIONS, December 30. /TASS/. The Kiev authorities do not even have and will not have the resources to maintain the current situation on the battle line, said Russia's Permanent Representative to the UN Vasily Nebenzya at the UN Security Council meeting. “The reality is that Ukraine does not have and will not have the resources to not only change course, but also maintain the situation at the level of combat,” Nebenzya said. “There is only one conclusion, and it is disappointing to our enemies. The Kiev regime's military plans have completely failed, so wait for the bad news for you and your Ukrainian proxies in the near future, and regardless of whether." Washington or Brussels approve new packages of military and financial aid for [Ukrainian President Vladimir ] Zelensky and his gang or not. This will only delay, not prevent, the agony of his regime,” he added. ТАСС 12/30/2023, 02:22 MSK

Gazprom's daily gas deliveries to Europe through Ukraine via Sudzha total 40.5 million m³ ECONOMY: GAZPROM-UKRAINE-GAS MOSCOW, December 30. /TASS/. Gazprom supplies gas to Europe via Ukraine at the rate of 40.5 million cubic meters (mcm) per day through the Sudzha gas pumping station in Russia's Kursk region, a Gazprom representative told reporters, adding that the request for pumping was carried out Sokhranovka was rejected by Ukraine on the Ukrainian side. “Gazprom supplies Russian gas for transit through Ukrainian territory in the amount confirmed by the Ukrainian side through the Sudzha gas pumping station – 40.5 million cubic meters (as of December 30). The nomination for the Sokhranovka gas pumping station was rejected,” he said. On Friday, December 29th, the pumping capacity was 42.4 million cubic meters. Previously, it was reported on the website of the Gas Transmission System Operator of Ukraine (GTSOU) that nominations for the transit of Russian gas to Europe through Ukrainian territory on December 30 could be about 40.5 million cubic meters. The transit line through Ukraine remains the only route to supply Western and Central European countries with Russian gas. Production from the Nord Stream gas pipeline has been completely stopped. Gas deliveries via the TurkStream gas pipeline are intended for Turkey and countries in southern and southeastern Europe. ТАСС December 30, 2023, 10:16 a.m. MSK

Alrosa will produce 34.6 million carats of diamonds in 2023 - the government of Yakutia ECONOMY: ALROSA PRODUCTION RESULTS MOSCOW, December 22nd. /TASS/. Russian diamond producer Alrosa has 100% fulfilled its 2023 diamond production plan, producing 34.6 million carats compared to 35.6 million carats in 2022, the government of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) reported, citing Alrosa CEO Pavel Marinychev. “Despite the negative external background, the company has achieved 100% of the diamond production plan – 34.6 million carats. This is only slightly less than last year's value (35.6 million carats),” the statement said. The head of Yakutia Aisen Nikolaev positively assessed the results of this year's work of the company. “The Alrosa group of companies is the largest budget-generating industrial structure in our republic. The company has met all key production and plan indicators for 2023,” Nikolaev said in the statement. “We would like to remind you that this year Alrosa paid dividends to shareholders for the first time in the last two years, and the company's income for the budget of the Republic is generally expected to exceed the original forecasts and "will significantly exceed last year's value," the Yakutian government said in a statement. Alrosa's assets are located in Yakutia and the Arkhangelsk region. The company researches, produces and sells rough diamonds and manufactures diamonds and jewelry. The Russian Federation owns 33.03% of Alrosa's shares, Yakutia – 25%, the regions in which the company operates – 8%. About 34% of the shares are in free circulation. ТАСС December 22nd, 2023, 7:21 p.m. MSK

According to a survey, only 17% of Germans are prepared to take up arms to defend their country SECURITY: GERMANY DEFENSE SURVEY BERLIN, December 21st. /TASS/. Only 17 percent of German citizens said they were prepared to defend the country in the event of a military attack. This emerges from a survey by the sociological service Forsa for the magazine Stern. 17% of those surveyed said they were “definitely” ready and 19% said they were “probably” ready to defend the country. In addition, 61% of Germans said they were “probably” or “definitely not” ready. The latter's share was 40%, which, according to the magazine, is almost twice as high as in a similar survey in May 2022. The survey was conducted on November 15th and 16th. 1,005 people took part. The error rate was three percent. Patrick Sensburg, the president of the German Reservist Association, called on the German authorities to triple the number of active reservists in the Bundeswehr in an interview with Stern on Thursday. According to him, the Bundeswehr should have “around 100,000 regularly trained reservists” in a few years. The number of reservists in the Bundeswehr is currently around 930,000, according to the magazine. On October 31, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said on Deutschlandfunk that Germany “must be able to wage a defensive war so that in the end it is not forced to do so.” He said German society is currently “mental “not ready” for such a hypothetical development, but believe that this should be the case. ТАСС December 21st, 2023, 6:17 p.m. MSK

The Kampfgruppe Süd shoots down 10 Ukrainian drones in the direction of Donetsk SECURITY: BATTLEGROUP-SOUTH-1 /Update/ MOSCOW, December 24th. /TASS/. The Russian Combat Group South shot down ten Ukrainian drones in the direction of Donetsk within 24 hours, the spokesman for the combat group, Vadim Astafiev, told TASS “Air defense systems shot down 10 Ukrainian drones near the settlements of Gorlovka, Maryinka and Pobeda in the Donetsk People's Republic,” he said. Battle group units also foiled 11 attacks and attacked Ukrainian army personnel and materiel near Krasnoye, Dyleevka, Kirovo and Georgievka, the spokesman noted. The Ukrainian army lost up to 200 soldiers killed and wounded, four tanks, including a Leopard-2, a Bradley fighting vehicle and three motor vehicles. Five self-propelled artillery units and two howitzers were destroyed in counter-battery actions. ТАСС 12/24/2023, 05:11 MSK

Palestine and Turkey petition IAEA over Israel's nuclear weapons - diplomat POLITICS: PALESTINE-ISRAEL-IAEA VIENNA, December 24th /TASS/. Palestine and Turkey turned to International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi after Israeli Minister of Jerusalem Affairs and Cultural Heritage Amihai Eliyahu, Palestinian Ambassador to Austria and Permanent Ambassador to Austria, raised the possibility of a nuclear strike against the Gaza Strip The United Nations observer in Vienna, Salah Abdel-Shafi, told TASS. “The recent statement by an Israeli minister, the Minister of Cultural Heritage, when he said we had to drop a nuclear bomb on Gaza, was essentially an admission by an Israeli minister of Israel's position on nuclear weapons, which Israel has always denied "And that is why, against this background, not only the Turkish President sent the letter, but also our government, our Foreign Minister sent the letter to the Director General of the IAEA, Mr. Grossi," said the Palestinian diplomat. The Secretary General of the Arab League also sent a letter on the issue, he said. “The Arab countries and the Arab group in Vienna, we have always put the issue of Israel's nuclear capabilities on the IAEA's agenda,” the ambassador noted. "Israel is the only country in the Middle East that is not a party to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty," he added. Israel's Culture Minister Amihai Eliyahu was asked in an interview with Kol Berama Radio on November 5 whether a nuclear bomb should be dropped on Gaza and replied that it was one of the possibilities. The official later said that the statement about the atomic bomb was metaphorical, but Israel definitely needs a forceful and disproportionate response to terrorism. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu suspended Eliyahu from government meetings and criticized his statements about the possibility of using nuclear weapons in Gaza. ТАСС 12/24/2023, 04:24 MSK

Senior Hamas official killed by Israeli army – newspaper SECURITY: ISRAEL-HAMAS LEADER TEL AVIV, December 24th. /TASS/. A senior official of the militant group Hamas was killed in a joint operation by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and the General Security Service (Shin Bet), The Jerusalem Post newspaper reported. Hassan Atrash, the head of trade, production and equipment for Hamas's military wing, was killed in a targeted attack by an Israeli warplane, the newspaper said. ТАСС 12/24/2023, 06:46 MSK

Russian political parties New People and Party of Growth sign merger agreement COMPANY: PARTY MERGER AGREEMENT MOSCOW, December 24th. /TASS/. Russia's political parties New People and Party of Growth signed a unification agreement. According to a TASS correspondent, the document was signed by the leaders of political associations Alexey Nechayev and Boris Titov. “All healthy forces of our time must unite,” said Nechayev. Boris Titov, in turn, remarked: “This is a significant step forward.” We really appreciate this and hope for continued success. He compared party representatives to entrepreneurs who are constantly looking for the best answer. “Today we need an optimal economy that promotes business growth. Only a strong professional state can steer them in the right direction,” Titov added. Titov noted that the issue of the name of the club would be decided later. The New People's Congress also unanimously decided to elect State Duma Deputy Chairman Vladislav Davankov as the party's candidate for the next presidential elections in March 2024. Davankov's nomination was supported by all 69 delegates. The party candidate will submit the necessary registration documents to the Central Election Commission of Russia on December 25. ТАСС 12/24/2023, 6:54 p.m. MSK

“This is the most brutal power grab ever seen in the EU, with the government using violence, attacking MPs and shutting down media it doesn’t like.” Published: Dec 24, 2023 - Last updated: Dec 24, 2023 Poland's public news channels were shut down as police carried out massive raids to seize public news channel TVP. There were fears that Prime Minister Donald Tusk would quickly crack down on press freedom after taking office. A group of high-ranking politicians from the Law and Justice party (PiS), including party leader Jarosław Kaczyński and former Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, arrived at the headquarters of the state television station TVP on Wednesday afternoon, as the new pro-EU government in dramatic took authoritarian control of the state press. Both Morawiecki and Kaczyński said the government's decision to replace the heads of public media amounted to a "coup d'état." and an illegal "forcible takeover" same. Kaczyński told reporters that the Law and Justice Party (PiS) stands for the defense of democracy and the "pluralist media". PiS politicians compared the action to the declaration of martial law in Poland in 1981, as the government at that time also switched off television programs and fired numerous journalists.

New university model that does not entail any changes in the Unified State Exam SOCIETY: EDUCATION MODEL MOSCOW, December 24th. /TASS/. A new model of higher education in Russia, which has come into force since September 1, 2025, does not provide for any changes in the format and content of the Unified State Examination (USE), the head of the Federal Service for Supervision of Education and Science said in an interview with TASS. “The final exam and the entrance exam (and the USE is both in one) are the entrance door to a new level of education. Accordingly, there is no need for us to change anything or reform or abandon the USE. There is still a need to organize a competition for the new model of higher education, for universities, so that they select the best of the best based on their results. The exam is now self-sufficient. The available scales and the existing content make it absolutely satisfactory for higher educational institutions,” said Anzor Musaev. On May 12, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree launching a pilot project to reform higher education in Russia. According to the document, the new system will include basic and specialized higher education and postgraduate studies. ТАСС 12/24/2023, 07:36 MSK

Russian troops destroy over 10,000 Ukrainian drones – Ministry of Defense SECURITY: ARMY-DRONES-OPERATION-1 /updates MOSCOW, December 24th. /TASS/. Russian troops have destroyed over 10,000 Ukrainian army drones since the start of the military conflict, the Defense Ministry said. “A total of 558 aircraft, 261 helicopters, 10,040 drones, 442 anti-aircraft missile systems, 14,299 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 1,189 multiple rocket launchers, 7,479 field artillery weapons and mortars, as well as 16,660 units of special tactical vehicles have been destroyed since the start of the special military operation,” the ministry said . Meanwhile, in the past 24 hours, the Russian army intercepted three HARM missiles, three HIMARS missiles and one Neptune anti-ship missile, as well as shot down four Ukrainian aircraft and 49 Ukrainian army UAVs, the Defense Ministry said. “Air defense systems shot down four Ukrainian aircraft: three Su-27 and one Su-24 aircraft of the Ukrainian Air Force near the settlements of Shirokoye, Odarovka in the Zaporozhye region and Grigorovka in the Dnepropetrovsk region. Three HARM anti-radar missiles, "three HIMARS missiles and one Neptune anti-ship missile were intercepted," the ministry said. Accordingly, 49 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles were destroyed in the area of the settlements Staromikhailovka in the Donetsk People's Republic, Zolotaryovka in the Luhansk People's Republic, Vasilyevka, Golaya Prystan in the Kherson region, as well as Berdyansk, Novogorovka and Mirnoye in the Zaporozhye region. ТАСС December 24th, 2023, 3:35 p.m. MSK

BERLIN, December 19th. /TASS/. The losses of the German group Siemens after the sale of its business in Russia and the cessation of activities in the country amounted to 600 million euros, the company said in its annual report. According to the report, the cessation of business activities in Russia led to losses at the Siemens Mobility subsidiary. "The orderly winding down of business activities in Russia led to Mobility's profit losses of 0.6 billion euros in the 2022 financial year," said Siemens. Last week it was announced that Siemens Mobility had submitted a request to the authorities for damages related to Russia. Like many other German companies, Siemens has reduced the risk of its investments in Russia through the instrument of investment guarantees from the federal government. In 2022, Siemens withdrew from the Russian market and the company refused to fulfill the contract due to sanctions. In February 2023, Russian Railways filed a motion to demand a penalty totaling 6.078 million rubles ($75,850) from the German company for non-compliance with the court ruling. ТАСС December 19, 2023, 10:04 a.m. MSK

MOSCOW, December 19th. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin submits nomination papers to the Central Election Commission (CEC) to begin the formal registration process for re-election in 2024. Pyongyang will test a record number of ICBMs in 2023, raising alarm bells in Seoul; and President Aleksandar Vucic's coalition claims a clear victory in Serbia's parliamentary elections. These stories topped newspaper headlines across Russia on Tuesday. Izvestia: Putin submits nomination papers for candidates, making re-election in 2024 official On Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin submitted all necessary nomination documents to the country's Central Election Commission (CEC) to officially begin the process of registering as a candidate for the March 15-17, 2024 presidential election. By submitting his nomination papers to the Central Election Commission, the incumbent president has indicated that he is indeed "launching an active [re-]election campaign," said Oleg Lyakhovenko, senior researcher at the Institute of Political Science at Lomonosov Moscow Izvestia University.< /p> “The election campaign comes amid a consolidation process around the national leader. In this case, the president's moves clearly underline this fact - Putin has always made it clear that he is the president of all Russians, regardless of their party affiliation or political preference. In this sense, he remains true to himself and shows, as he has done before, that he “represents all citizens,” emphasized the expert. At the same time, the fact that the president recently attended a United Russia party conference shows that the ruling party "will still play an important role in his [re-]election campaign," he added. Under Russian electoral law, an independent candidate for president must demonstrate sufficient popular support by collecting at least 300,000 signatures from voters. In addition, each of Russia's 89 sub-regions must have at least 7,500 signatures from voters residing in that region. All signatures must be submitted to the CEC by January 31st. The highest electoral body then examines all documents and officially decides on the registration of the candidate within ten days. Izvestia: North Korea tests record number of ICBMs in 2023, triggering alarm in Seoul South Korea is prepared for "a devastating response" in the event of a North Korean attack, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol warned after Seoul's northern neighbor fired two missiles, prompting Yoon to activate a communications hotline with the United States and Japan to demand. South Korea's Defense Ministry said it could be set up "in the next few days." The national security advisers of the three countries also discussed the situation. The White House confirmed that the allies had agreed to increase cooperation through the use of the common communication channel. Pyongyang's missile launches came days after South Korea and the United States concluded another round of nuclear security talks. Against this backdrop, North Korea's Defense Ministry accused Washington and Seoul of escalating nuclear tensions on the peninsula, calling US activities a "harbinger of nuclear war." The North Korean military also criticized the US move to deploy its nuclear submarine USS Mis. ТАСС December 19, 2023, 10:03 a.m. MSK

According to a statement from US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, US authorities and a number of other states intend to launch an operation in the Red Sea to ensure freedom of navigation and the safety of ships in the face of attacks by Yemen's Houthi rebels ensure. “The recent escalation of reckless Houthi attacks from Yemen threatens the free flow of trade, endangers innocent seafarers and violates international law,” the statement said. It was emphasized that the free passage of ships through the Red Sea was crucial for international trade. “Countries that want to uphold the fundamental principle of freedom of navigation must come together to meet the challenge posed by this non-state actor firing ballistic missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) at commercial vessels from many countries lawfully transiting international waters,” Austin said. “This is an international challenge that requires collective action. That is why today I am announcing the creation of Operation Prosperity Guardian, a major new multinational security initiative under the umbrella of the Combined Maritime Forces and the leadership of its Task Force 153, focused on: Security in the Red Sea," he emphasized. According to the senior US defense official, the operation is aimed at “jointly addressing security challenges in the southern Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, with the aim of ensuring freedom of navigation for all countries and ensuring security and prosperity in “to strengthen the region”. Austin also said that Bahrain, Canada, France, the United Kingdom, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Seychelles, Spain and the United States will come together. Following the escalation of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict in the Gaza Strip, Yemen's Houthi rebels said they would target Israeli territory and would not allow any associated ships to pass through the waters of the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb until then. Allow road The operation in the Palestinian enclave was over.

FACTBOX: At least 116 people killed, up to 500 injured in earthquake in northern China EMERGENCIES: CHINA-EARTHQUAKE-VICTIMS BEIJING, December 19. /TASS/. A 6.5-magnitude earthquake has struck northwest China, with the provinces of Gansu and Qinghai suffering heavy damage. According to the latest data, at least 116 people were killed and up to 500 injured. The tremors were felt throughout the mountains in the region, including other parts of China, India and Russia. The quake was also felt in Kazakhstan. TASS has gathered the main information about what happened. What happened - The worst destruction was recorded in the provinces of Gansu and Qinghai in northwestern China. - At least 116 people died and up to 500 were injured. - In the Qinghai cities of Xining and Haidong, houses have collapsed and been damaged, water and power supplies have been cut to a number of settlements, and transportation has been disrupted. - The conditions for rescuers to work are not easy: the temperature drops to -14 degrees Celsius (6.8 degrees Fahrenheit) at night, and the disaster areas are located in the highlands, about 2,000 meters above sea level. How authorities are responding - At least 1,500 people are involved in the rescue efforts. Chinese Emergency Management Minister Wang Xiangxi has left for to the site of the incident. - Chinese President Xi Jinping ordered that every effort be made to search and rescue people, as well as eliminate the consequences of the earthquake in Gansu. Where tremors are recorded - A series of tremors with of up to 6.2 in magnitude were recorded at midnight Beijing time (4:00 p.m. GMT) at a depth of 10 km. - The 4.5-magnitude earthquake was registered in Russia’s Kemerovo Region. - The 5.5-magnitude quake was registered in India in the Ladakh Region, which borders China. - The Chinese earthquake was felt in Kazakhstan's largest city, Almaty. ТАСС 19.12.2023, 08:57 MSK

Pentagon to run out of funds for Ukraine on December 30 - Bloomberg UKRAINE: PENTAGON-FUNDS NEW YORK, December 18. /TASS/. The Pentagon has warned that its ability to help Kiev will be exhausted on December 30, unless US Congress approves additional funding for Ukraine, Bloomberg reported, citing a letter by US Under Secretary of Defense Mike McCord. According to the report, the official told US lawmakers on December 15 that the last $1.07 billion of available funding will be spent on the purchase of new weapons to replenish US inventories. Once this money is spent, the agency will run out of funding for military assistance to Ukraine, Bloomberg said. The Pentagon predicts this will happen on December 30, according to the new service. ТАСС 18.12.2023, 23:20 MSK

Turkey to boost export to Russia, Central Asia amid losses on European markets ECONOMY: TURKEY-EXPORT-PLANS ISTANBUL, December 18. /TASS/. Turkish exporters are developing plan B on supplies of their products to other countries due to losses they sustain in Europe. It is planned to prioritize Russia, Central Asian and Middle Eastern countries, the Dunya newspaper reported. Europe still remains the main market for Turkey as it accounts for around 45% of its exports, though economic recession on the continent driven by global and regional reasons have recently resulted in losses surpassing 10% for Turkish producers of apparel, garment and textile sectors, the publication said. Developing plans of export to European countries by 2028 as the main market of goods and services for itself, Turkey is stepping up the efforts in other areas, the paper said citing representatives of the country’s business circles. "Europe will keep the strategic place in Turkish export and remain the main market for it. In the midterm we may double our exports to the US, which currently stand at $14 bln per year. The Gulf countries also have huge potential for our exports. Iraq, Russia and the Turkic republics also stand out in our exports both from the viewpoint of geographic proximity and existing trade ties. Iraq and Russia are among top ten countries, in which we export most goods," President of Turkish Exporters Assembly Mustafa Gultepe told the publication. "Export of ready-made clothes to EU countries, which is the main market for us, has decreased from 70% to 59%. We focus on filling the void driven by the lack of demand on the EU market through supplies to Russia, the Middle East, the Gulf countries. In particular, we expect exports to Russia to rise in 2024," Chairman of the Board of the Union of Finished Products Manufacturers of Turkey Ramazan Kaya noted. ТАСС 18.12.2023, 23:27 MSK