Jour : 28 décembre 2024

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South Korea, Ukraine and the US previously accused Pyongyang of sending thousands of soldiers to help Russia
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US officials have claimed that North Korea is suffering mass casualties on the front lines of Russia’s war against Ukraine, being used in costly “human wave” attacks.
White House spokesperson John Kirby told reporters on Friday that thousands of North Korean troops had been killed or wounded in the last week alone.
“It is clear that Russian and North Korean military leaders are treating these troops as expendable and ordering them on hopeless assaults against Ukrainian defenses,” Kirby said.
South Korea, Ukraine and the US previously accused Pyongyang of sending thousands of soldiers to help Russia fight off the Ukrainian invasion of the Kursk border region.
It comes as Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) said it had foiled a plot by Ukraine to kill a high-ranking Russian officer and a pro-Russian war blogger with a bomb hidden in a portable music speaker.
On the instructions of the Ukrainian intelligence officer, a Russian citizen had retrieved a bomb from a hiding place in Moscow, the FSB said. The bomb, equivalent to 1 1/2 kg of TNT and packed with ball bearings, was concealed in a portable music speaker, the FSB said.
U.S. officials say the United States is expected to announce it will send another $1.25 billion in military assistance to Ukraine
Footage released by Ukraine’s emergency services shows damage sustained in the southern city of Mykolaiv following a Russian drone attack.
Earlier, Ukraine’s Air Force said they had downed 15 Russian drones overnight, while a sixteenth was lost in the air. They added that Mykolaiv had been hit.
Ukraine‘s Air Force says it has shut down more than a dozen drones launched across the country overnight.
In a statement on the Telegram Mesenger app, they wrote: “On the night of December 28, 2024 (from 11:00 p.m. on December 27), the enemy attacked with 16 Shahed attack UAVs and drones of other types (launch areas: Primorsko-Akhtarsk – Russia).”
They said all drones were either downed by electronic warfare or lost in the air. There were no casualties, though a company and apartment building in the city of Mykolaiv were partially damaged.
Russia’s top security agency has arrested several suspects accused of involvement in an alleged Ukrainian plot to assassinate senior military officers, an announcement that follows the killing of a top Russian general last week.
The Federal Security Service, a top KGB successor known under its Russian acronym FSB, said in a statement carried by Russian news agencies that it had arrested four Russians accused of making preparations to kill senior defence ministry officials.
The FSB said that the suspected organisers of the attacks were planning to kill one of the senior officers using a remotely controlled car bomb.
It added that another top military official was to be assassinated by an explosive device hidden in an envelope. The agency didn’t name the military officers who were targeted in the alleged plot.
Russia’s top security agency says that it has arrested several suspects accused of involvement in an alleged Ukrainian plot to assassinate senior military officers
Ukraine, a global producer and exporter of grain and oilseeds, has sent its first batch of food aid to Syria, President Volodymyr Zelensky said.
Zelensky said that 500 metric tons of wheat flour were already on their way to Syria as part of Ukraine‘s humanitarian “Grain from Ukraine“ initiative in cooperation with the United Nations World Food Programme.
“The wheat flour is planned to be distributed to 33,250 families or 167,000 people, in the coming weeks,” Zelensky said on X, adding: “Each package weighs 15 kilograms and can feed a family of five for one month.”
After the ouster of Bashar al-Assad, a close Russian ally, Ukraine has said it wants to restore relations with Syria.
Kyiv traditionally exports wheat and corn to countries in the Middle East, but not to Syria.
Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) said it had foiled a plot by Ukraine to kill a high-ranking Russian officer and a pro-Russian war blogger with a bomb hidden in a portable music speaker.
The FSB, the main successor to the Soviet-era KGB, said that a Russian citizen had established contact with an officer from Ukraine’s GUR military intelligence agency through the Telegram messaging platform.
On the instructions of the Ukrainian intelligence officer, the Russian citizen had then retrieved a bomb from a hiding place in Moscow, the FSB said. The bomb, equivalent to one and a half kg of TNT and packed with ball bearings, was concealed in a portable music speaker, the FSB said.
The FSB did not name the officer or the blogger who was the target of the plot. Ukraine’s GUR military intelligence agency has not issued a comment on Russia’s claims.
Ukraine is planning to open more than 150 underground educational facilities by September of 2025, deputy education minister Nadiia Kuzmychova said at a briefing yesterday.
Officials in the war-hit country have initiated plans to build 139 underground schools and several dozen underground vocational education institutions, the minister said.
There are currently 79 underground education facilities under active construction and construction is ongoing in frontline regions and areas most affected by Russian shelling, the deputy education minister said.
“We expect the construction of absolutely all facilities to be completed by September 1, 2025,” Ms Kuzmychova said.
Ukraine had to switch to underground schools after the country came under the Russian aerial attacks, which target civilian infrastructure, including education facilities and have claimed thousands of lives so far.
Ukraine is facing an array of issues heading into 2025, underscored by the anxiety of what the re-election of Donald Trump could mean for the country’s future. Tom Watling speaks to politicians, military experts and aid workers to discover what next year could look like
Ukraine is facing an array of issues heading into 2025, underscored by the anxiety of what the re-election of Donald Trump could mean for the country’s future. Tom Watling speaks to politicians, military experts and aid workers to discover what next year could look like
Five months after their shock offensive into Russia, Ukrainian troops are bloodied and demoralised by the rising risk of defeat in Kursk, a region some want to hold at all costs while others question the value of having gone in at all.
Battles are so intense that some Ukrainian commanders can’t evacuate the dead. Communication lags and poorly timed tactics have cost lives, and troops have little way to counterattack, seven frontline soldiers and commanders told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity so they could discuss sensitive operations.
Since being caught unaware by the lightning Ukrainian incursion, Russia has amassed more than 50,000 troops in the region, including some from its ally North Korea. Precise numbers are hard to obtain, but Moscow’s counterattack has killed and wounded thousands and the overstretched Ukrainians have lost more then 40 per cent of the 984 sq km (380 sq miles) of Kursk they seized in August.
Five months after their shock offensive into Russia, Ukrainian troops are bloodied by daily combat losses and demoralized by the rising risk of defeat in Kursk
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Bird Poop May Help Stop The Next Flu Pandemic. Here’s How  NDTV
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Charles Shyer, the acclaimed screenwriter and director famed for iconic comedies such as ‘Private Benjamin’ and ‘Father of the Bride’, has died at the age of 83, as confirmed by his family through Deadline. The cause of death remains undisclosed.
The Meyers-Shyer family released a heartfelt statement expressing their sorrow, mentioning the irreplaceable void left by Shyer’s passing but emphasizing the enduring legacy he leaves through his work and children. Known for his sharp wit and ability to direct warm and humorous stories, Shyer’s contributions to Hollywood spanned over fifty years.
His illustrious career included an Oscar nomination for ‘Private Benjamin’ in 1981, a milestone that marked the beginning of a successful partnership with Nancy Meyers. Together, they crafted beloved films throughout the 80s and 90s, including ‘Baby Boom’ and the ever-popular ‘Father of the Bride’ series.
After their marriage in 1990 and subsequent divorce in 1999, Shyer ventured into solo projects such as ‘The Affair of the Necklace’ and a remake of ‘Alfie’. His recent works include the Netflix film ‘The Noel Diary’ and ‘Best Christmas Ever!’. Shyer is survived by his four children, including filmmaker Hallie Meyers-Shyer.
(With inputs from agencies.)
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The Solar New Year, rooted in astronomical events like solstices and equinoxes, marks seasonal transitions and the Sun’s journey through the zodiac. Unlike the Gregorian New Year, this celebration is closely tied to nature’s rhythms, making it a unique reflection of humanity’s connection to the cosmos.
What is the Solar New Year?
The Solar New Year is based on the Earth’s orbit around the Sun, aligning with key celestial moments such as the spring equinox or winter solstice. These events signify shifts in seasons, influencing agriculture, culture, and tradition. For example, in South and Southeast Asia, the Sun’s transition into the Aries constellation, around April 14, heralds the Solar New Year, uniting many communities in vibrant festivities.
Popular Solar New Year Celebrations
A universal message of unity
The Solar New Year celebrates humanity’s shared bond with nature. Whether through Nowruz’s Haft-Seen or Vaisakhi’s vibrant dances, it fosters gratitude, unity, and hope for brighter days.
#SolarNewYear #SeasonalCelebrations #UnityInDiversity #TraditionsOfTheSun

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Column | Carolyn Hax: Friend gets angry if people forget her mom’s death anniversary  The Washington Post
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A 2-mile stretch surrounding two culverts in Caribou saw at least 127 collisions between 2003-23, according to the Maine DOT.
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A concrete culvert running beneath Route 164 in Caribou will be upgraded using funds from a federal grant intended to help reduce car vs. wildlife collisions. Photo courtesy of Maine Department of Transportation
A $9.3 million federal grant secured by the state of Maine could be key to reducing collisions along a specific stretch of road in Caribou long known to be the site of crashes and near-misses between cars and animals.
Caribou City Manager Penny Thompson said local people know to slow down along a certain stretch of Routes 1 and 164, known locally as Main Street, especially after dark.
“I almost hit a deer” is a common refrain among Caribou drivers, she said.
“If you live here, you kind of know where the bad areas are for animals,” Thompson said on a Thursday phone call. “We’re watching for that. We tell our kids, ‘Be careful, there’s that place where there’s always deer.’”

After her shift at City Hall, Thompson said, she occasionally drives south to Presque Isle to pick up late-night groceries. But there have been times she put off the errand to avoid driving on the dark, wildlife-heavy roads.
Those stretches of road are home to a high number of deer and moose collisions, according to the Maine Department of Transportation. In a 2003-2023 study of the area, a 2-mile stretch surrounding the culverts saw at least 127 collisions, with the majority taking place on Route 1.

But such crashes are believed to be underreported nationally, and local game wardens estimate that there are at least a dozen wildlife collisions per year at the Route 164 crossing, according to the grant application.
A warning sign on a stretch of Routes 1 and 164, known locally as Main Street, in Caribou indicates an area where car vs. animal collisions are an ongoing problem. Photo courtesy of Penny Thompson
State officials hope the grant will not only reduce collisions but also help conserve a threatened species of trout that lives in Prestile Brook.
“When you build a structure that’s big enough for a moose to go through it, there’s a lot of other species that benefit,” Justin Schlawin, program coordinator of the wildlife department’s Beginning with Habitat program, said Thursday.
That money, plus $2.3 million paid by the department, will go toward replacing the culverts under Routes 1 and 164, which each cross the brook about a half a mile from each other.
The existing culverts are old and narrow, leaving them vulnerable to potential failure and unable to provide appropriate water flow, the department said in its application.
The brook flows into the Aroostook River, but the existing culverts are perched, meaning they sit above the surface of the water, making it difficult or impossible for fish to swim upstream.

“The fish that are in Prestile Brook are not really connected down to the Aroostook River,” Schlawin said.
In his letter of support, Schlawin noted that the stream is home to a local brook trout population, which is among the highest conservation priority species in the Maine Wildlife Action Plan.
Expanding the culvert should also improve drainage during periods of heavy precipitation, which have historically left that stretch of Route 164 flooded.
“When they’re (culverts) too small, they can get easily overwhelmed in flood events,” said Nick Lund, advocacy and outreach manager at Maine Audubon. “That’s when you get roads washing out, and that’s where you get culverts failing.”
A metal culvert running beneath Route 1 in Caribou will be enlarged and upgraded using funds from a federal grant intended to reduce car vs. animal collisions. Photo courtesy of Maine Department of Transportation
On Route 164, the existing culvert will be replaced with a pre-cast concrete arch, measuring roughly 30 feet wide, 17 feet tall and 96 feet long according to the application. That concrete tunnel will include a “simulated natural stream” and a raised shelf large enough to support moose and deer.
The precise plan for Route 1 is still in development, with design slated to kick off in May 2026, the department said.

Both crossings are expected to take about a year to build, with the Route 164 project concluding in early 2027 and the Route 1 build concluding in late 2029, the department said.
Lund said it’s important to make wildlife crossings appear as natural as possible: “Make it seem to wildlife and the fish that the stream is not interrupted by human interference.”
That makes it more likely to be used by wildlife, he said. But Lund said it “doesn’t take much” to convince wildlife to travel at well-planned crossings.
“Streams are natural corridors for wildlife,” he said. “Plus, animals know that roads are not safe. … Once it’s found that there’s a crossing, wildlife will use it. You don’t really need to encourage them at all.”
Maine is already home to a number of wildlife crossings, but the Caribou project is bigger than most, said Eric Ham, senior environmental manager at the DOT.
Ham said the size of a crossing is largely determined by the specific site’s features. Both Routes 1 and 164 are relatively high above the stream, giving these crossings extra room for a larger arch.

Crossings that are wider than the natural stream allow for more gradual shorelines with room for vegetation, making them more attractive to wildlife, Lund said.
Deer accounted for the vast majority of animal crashes in Maine between 2018 and 2022, according to a five-year study by the Department of Transportation. Maine saw nearly 30,000 such collisions in that time, with more than 6,600 deer crashes in 2022 alone.
Though Aroostook County, where the project is located, saw deer crashes roughly in line with the rest of the state, it saw the highest number of moose crashes among the counties, with 575 reported over that period.
The average cost of repairs after hitting a deer is $1,840, and moose collisions average about $4,000, according to estimates by AAA. Usually, the animal that is struck dies during or shortly after the crash, the agency said.
Maine was one of 16 recipients — 15 states and the Pueblo of Santa Ana tribe — selected for this round of federal funding, the second in the Wildlife Crossings Pilot Program, the national Department of Transportation said in a written statement. The pilot was created as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and makes $350 million available through fiscal year 2026.
The projects are intended to “reduce collisions between drivers and wildlife, create places for wildlife to safely move over and under highways, and help preserve American life and property,” Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in a written statement.

City Manager Thompson said the project is larger than anything Caribou could pull off on its own and thanked the state transportation department for its help securing the money and partnership on the planning and construction.
“A lot of times, when you live in Aroostook County, you kind of feel forgotten, our challenges,” Thompson said. “But we do feel that there are several state agencies that do work hard to make sure that rural Maine is also still considered an important investment.”
While Thompson is confident the new crossings will help improve driver and wildlife safety, she said their impacts may be hard to notice.
“I think the proof will be if there’s a reduction in the accidents,” she said. “But also a reduction in the police letting us know that there’s a lot of animals traveling in that area, or our loved ones — seeing them at the end of a long day and them saying ‘Oh my gosh, I almost hit a deer.’”
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Christmas movies
Few people consider any of the unending adaptations of Charles Dickens' “A Christmas Carol” as their favorite holiday movie. It seems that everyone has adapted this Dickens' book into a movie, a stage production or into another genre.
For instance, Richard Neer, a radio sports personality, has been broadcasting his 20-minute version of this world-famous novella on Dec. 25 for many years
Among the few lists of the best Christmas movies I had seen, only one highlighted the 1951 version of “A Christmas Carol” as a favorite. Maybe this was due to the multitude of films and stage adaptations of Dickens' book, leading us to overlook “A Christmas Carol” as a classic movie favorite.
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Last year, after seeing the 2022 movie “The Man Who Invented Christmas,” my 2023 holiday column became, “Did Charles Dickens Save Christmas?” I began searching for this year’s theme.
Then, recently, the chair of The New Canaan Cinema Club recalled reading my 2023 column and invited me to speak about “The Man Who Invented Christmas” movie and my essay. I did a presentation on the topic several weeks ago that inspired the idea for this column.
I began searching for lists of Christmas movies people considered the best. I was overwhelmed as to how many there were. On these lists I found many excellent films I enjoyed, some of which I watched more than once. However, there were three popular movies that have, for me, become a “must-see” holiday ritual.
The big three were “Christmas in Connecticut,” “A Christmas Story,” and “It’s a Wonderful Life.” A person’s age has much to do with what they might list as a favorite. A younger crowd might rate “Elf” at the top of their list. One of my grandchildren thinks it’s the best.
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So, why is “Christmas in Connecticut” one of the three on my favorite list? Years ago, my wife and I invited my mother-in-law’s childhood friend to spend Christmas with us. I was surprised when she said, “For years I’ve imagined myself spending a Christmas in Connecticut.” She referenced the 1945 movie by that name. It was as if her being with us on Dec. 25 was a lifetime dream realized. I have never forgotten the joy she seemed to have by being in Connecticut on a day she considered sacred.
A second reason I’ve seen “Christmas in Connecticut” so many times is that it is tagged as a screwball romantic comedy. As a movie buff, I am a fan of the genre. Big in the 1930s and 1940s, they were known for their farcical situations, clever and quick-paced repartees, and romantic misadventures, usually with a strong woman trying to get a man to fall in love with her. 
Screwball comedies made people laugh. I still laugh every time I see “Christmas in Connecticut.”
Another favorite is “A Christmas Story” (1983). I relate to Ralphie, the film’s protagonist, a bullied 9-year-old. When I was in my early teens, I experienced a form of bullying from a boy named Mario. He would continually call me “Fat Pig,” even though I wasn't heavy at all.
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Hearing his words, “Fat Pig,” pained me so much that sometimes I wished him dead. As much as I wanted to get back at him, I lacked the courage to confront him, unlike Ralphie, who eventually stood up to the bully, Scut Farkus, and punched him out.
Moreover, this movie's narrator, Jean Shepherd, was a captivating storyteller, which made it particularly special. While my classmates were busy playing music from the era, I was listening to Shepherd’s tales on the radio. He shared stories about growing up in the Midwest. Sometimes, I imagined myself one day writing about my life in Spanish Harlem.
Finally, among my three Christmas favorites is “It's a Wonderful Life.” It appeared on every favorite Christmas movie list I found, often at the top.  
"It's a Wonderful Life" is a heartwarming story of redemption. I have seen it countless times. Some critics have claimed this movie is unrealistic. They argue that no successful business banker would have acted as the character George Bailey did.
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George’s decisions were supposedly based on moral obligations rather than sound business planning. While the latter point may be true, in many films, viewers are often asked to suspend reality because of the point the movie is trying to make.
So, why do certain books, songs, or movies become cherished favorites within a specific genre? My sense is that this could be due to the quality of the work itself, how it resonates with our past experiences or the emotions that fill us with warmth and love.
I believe my three Christmas movie choices reflect the touchstones people often use, sometimes subconsciously, for embracing their favorite Christmas films.
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Juan A. Negroni, a former international business executive and Weston resident, is a consultant, bilingual speaker/facilitator, and writer. His column appears monthly in Hearst Connecticut Media. Email him at juannegroni12@gmail.com
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US-based Venture Global has exported its first cargo of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from its Plaquemines LNG plant, News.az reports citing Neftegaz.RU.
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When 2025 rings in on Jan. 1, three new laws will take effect in Indiana.
Indiana has eased restrictions on children working.
Most notably, all restrictions on the number of hours or the times a 16- or 17-year-old may work have been removed. Beginning at age 16, teens can work any shift an adult can work, with or without adult supervision.
Children who are 14 or 15 years old still will have a limit on the number of hours they can work on a school night, but more exemptions are laid out for younger teens who don’t have to meet those restrictions.
Children 14 or 15 years old will still be allowed to work a maximum of three hours a day on a school day, eight hours on a non-school day, 18 hours per week during the school year and 40 hours per week in the summer. They may not start work before 7 a.m. or work past 7 p.m. during the school year or 9 p.m. in the summer.
Indiana law remains in keeping with federal law prohibiting most forms of employment for children under 14 years of age. Similarly, federal law still prohibits assigning minors certain hazardous jobs, including an additional list of jobs deemed unsafe for 14- and 15-year-olds.
Employers will no longer be fined for violations in working hours or proper shifts that involve increments of 10 minutes or less. Indiana may provide employers with an initial warning and modest fines for further violations, though federal inspectors may still impose harsher penalties.
Work will not be allowed to start on a dig or excavation project until two full business days after notifying utilities to ask for the location of any underground lines to be marked. No digging will be allowed to begin before 7 a.m. in Indianapolis. (That means projects in the northwest and southwest corners of the state will be measured not in their local time zone.)
In addition to a new minimum time frame between when notice is given and the project starts, there is a new maximum time frame, as well. If a project has not begun 10 calendar days from the date of notice, a new request must be made and the process restarted.
The law will also now require any excavator to stay at least two feet away in every direction from the location marked for utility lines.
Finally, the law will require utilities to provide a response on all tickets requesting line markings within two business days of the request, and anyone excavating will be required to acknowledge having received the positive responses from any utilities before beginning work.
Tickets and responses are available for searching at Indiana811.org.
Indiana’s flat income tax rate will drop from 3.05% for all taxpayers to 3% even.

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Grab the Popcorn: Here Are the 11 Most Anticipated Movies of 2025  Cosmopolitan UK
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