"Taiwan’s MoD confirmed that its armed forces closely monitored Chinese military aircraft and naval vessels operating near the island, releasing imagery showing Taiwanese F-16V fighters tracking PLA aircraft during ongoing Chinese drills." @defence-blog.com defence-blog.com/taiwan-locks...

ICYMI

Recommended reading

"Islamic State militants clashed with police in northwest Turkey on Monday, leaving three police officers and six militants dead, Turkey’s interior minister said. At least eight other police officers and a night guard were wounded." @apnews.com apnews.com/article/turk...

"The United States is offering Ukraine 'strong' security guarantees for an extendable 15-year period, but Kyiv wants a longer term, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Monday." @euractiv.com www.euractiv.com/news/us-offe...

No surprises here: "Myanmar's dominant pro-military party claimed an overwhelming victory in the first phase of the country's junta-run elections, a senior party official told @en.afp.com , after democracy watchdogs warned the poll would entrench military rule." www.rfi.fr/en/internati...

"Taiwan accused China of military intimidation after Beijing announced live-fire drills. It comes after Japan's prime minister said Tokyo could potentially intervene to defend the self-governing island." DW www.dw.com/en/china-sta...

"The United States on Monday announced a $2 bn pledge for U.N. humanitarian aid as President Trump’s administration continues to slash U.S. foreign assistance and warns United Nations agencies to 'adapt, shrink or die' in a time of new financial realities." @apnews.com apnews.com/article/trum...

"Emerging after more than three hours of talks, neither man announced any major breakthrough in the grinding effort to end the conflict started by Russia in 2022. Both emphasized the process was complicated and would take more time." @cnn.com edition.cnn.com/2025/12/28/p...

December 28, 2025 Ukraine Situation report - @thestudyofwar.bsky.social and @criticalthreats.bsky.social understandingwar.org/research/rus...

Isaac Blumberg, 13 years old when he was brutally murdered by German Nazis - just like an estimated 1.5 million children that fell victim to the Holocaust. Lest we forget 🕯️

"With 90% of the votes counted, the party, whose name means 'self determination', was on 50.8%, meaning a third term in power for its leader, Albin Kurti." @bbcnews-world-rss.bsky.social www.bbc.com/news/article...

Good morning to #MallardMonday with this really enchanting hen on Schlachtensee lake, just next to 'our' lake, Krumme Lanke. I had a long walk around the two lakes on Sunday morning and took my DSLR along. [📷Nikon D850 f/7,1 1/200 600mm ISO 2500] #birds

"Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and naval commanders have confirmed the start of construction of a 300-meter aircraft carrier. Erdoğan also stated that Turkish shipyards are currently building 39 warships simultaneously." @militarnyi.com militarnyi.com/en/news/turk...

"Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Moscow would support China in defending what he described as its state unity and territorial integrity if the situation in the Taiwan Strait were to escalate, according to an interview published by TASS." @defence-blog.com defence-blog.com/russia-signa...

"The President of the Central African Republic is vying for a controversial third term as polling begins in the country. Central Africans are also voting for their legislative, regional and municipal representatives." DW www.dw.com/en/central-a...

"Voters in Kosovo cast ballots on Sunday in an early parliamentary election in hopes of breaking a political deadlock that has gripped the small Balkan nation for much of this year." @apnews.com apnews.com/article/koso...

"Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) said on Saturday that state security officers had obstructed its detectives during investigative actions linked to a corruption probe involving sitting members of parliament." @politico.eu www.politico.eu/article/ukra...

"Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will sit down with Donald Trump on Sunday and seek to secure the US president's stamp of approval for a new proposal to end the nearly four-year conflict with Russia." @en.afp.com v @france24.com www.france24.com/en/live-news...

"During the war with Ukraine, the number of billionaires in Russia has reached an all-time high. But in the 25 years Putin has been in power, Russia's rich and powerful - known as oligarchs - have lost almost all their political influence." @bbcnews-world-rss.bsky.social www.bbc.com/news/article...

Rest In Peace 🕯️

December 27, 2025 Ukraine Situation report - @thestudyofwar.bsky.social and @criticalthreats.bsky.social understandingwar.org/research/rus...

Lol😀 Seen here: x.com/ShipsOfLegen...

Hans Joachim Straus, not even nine years old when he was brutally murdered by German Nazis. One of an estimated 1.5 million children that fell victim to the Holocaust. 🕯️

Good morning to a spectacular Sunday everybody. Especially in winter and when it's freezing, I suggest you provide the birds in your garden with warm water twice a day. They really need it - just like these two Blue Tits at one of our birdbaths in the garden. [📷Nikon D850 f/7,1 1/200 600mm ISO 5000]

"Italian police have arrested nine people accused of raising around €7m for Hamas over more than two years. The money was ostensibly collected as humanitarian aid for Palestinian civilians, but was instead sent to the militant group." @bbcnews-world-rss.bsky.social www.bbc.com/news/article...

"A winter storm dumped heavy snow and treacherous ice onto parts of the Great Lakes and Northeast Friday evening into Saturday morning, snarling travel and knocking out power in parts of the region." @cnn.com edition.cnn.com/2025/12/26/w...

"Argentina's Congress approved on Friday the 2026 budget suggested by President Javier Milei, a first since he was elected president over two years ago." DW www.dw.com/en/argentina...

Recommended

"Both contests could, in theory, go on to run-off ballots. Yet in both, the incumbents are strong favourites, with observers predicting they will clinch victory outright in the first round with more than 50% of the vote." @bbcnews-world-rss.bsky.social www.bbc.com/news/article...

"Voting, which will happen in three stages over a period of a month, will not even be possible in large parts of the country still consumed by war. Even where voting is taking place, it is marred by a climate of fear and intimidation." @bbcnews-world-rss.bsky.social www.bbc.com/news/article...

"The future of conflict is cheap, rapidly manufactured, and tough to defend against." @wired.com www.wired.com/story/the-us...

"NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte has pushed back against calls for Europe to break away militarily from the United States, arguing that Washington remains a dependable security partner despite growing doubts inside the EU." @politico.eu www.politico.eu/article/nato...

If you're keen to relive the madness of 2025.

"Russia launched a large-scale overnight attack on Kyiv after Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky said he plans to meet his US counterpart Donald Trump in Florida Sunday, as efforts continue to end the nearly four-year war in Eastern Europe." @cnn.com edition.cnn.com/2025/12/26/e...

"Thailand, Cambodia signed a ceasefire agreement Saturday to end weeks of fighting along their border over competing territorial claims. The agreement took effect at noon and calls for a halt in military movements and airspace violation for military purposes" @apnews.com apnews.com/article/thai...

"Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on December 26 that equipment positioned in Belarus near the Ukrainian border is helping Russian forces guide Shahed-type drones toward targets in Ukraine’s western regions." @defence-blog.com defence-blog.com/belarus-help...

Meijer Koster, 14 years old when he was brutally murdered by German Nazis. He was one of an estimated 1.5 million children that fell victim to the Holocaust. 🕯️

Iran Update, December 26, 2025 @thestudyofwar.bsky.social understandingwar.org/research/mid...

December 26, 2025 Ukraine Situation report - @thestudyofwar.bsky.social and @criticalthreats.bsky.social understandingwar.org/research/rus...

Have a stellar Saturday everybody - we had some really cold ❄️ and freezing 🥶 days and nights in Berlin over Christmas - even the Grey Heron at our lake was not too amused. But the forecast shows rising temperatures for the next few days. I'm sure the birds will appreciate that as much as we do.

"Beijing accused the US of trying to jeopardize easing tensions between China and India in a bid to establish 'military hegemony'," @semafor.com www.semafor.com/article/12/2...

"NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte rejected proposals for independent European security structures, insisting the EU does not need to break from the US on defence matters despite calls from senior European politicians." @euronews.com www.euronews.com/my-europe/20...

"Japan’s Cabinet on Friday approved a record defense budget plan exceeding 9 trillion yen ($58 bn) for the coming year, aiming to fortify its strike-back capability and coastal defense with cruise missiles and unmanned arsenals as tensions rise in the region." @apnews.com apnews.com/article/japa...

Freezing cold but beautiful nonetheless—so I decided to get an early start today. Have a lovely and speedy holiday, everyone. #teamlaufen #laufen #teamrunning #running

"Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin has said that the US side is interested in building mining facilities at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) and in jointly managing the facility without Ukraine's involvement." @pravda.ua h/t @drugdesigns.bsky.social www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/202...

Opinion: "Quickly bringing in the Western Balkan candidates, Ukraine and Moldova to counter Russia or China poses many dilemmas for the EU", writes Vladimir Shopov at @ecfr.eu ecfr.eu/article/the-...

"An evacuation warning was issued for Wrightwood, a mountain town about 80 miles (130 kilometers) northeast of Los Angeles, a day after rescuing people stuck in cars during a mudslide." DW www.dw.com/en/californi...