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US: Donlad Trump prepared for military action against Syria

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US: Donlad Trump prepared for military action against Syria

Washington alleges Damascus of maintaining stockpile of chemical weapons

Amidst conflicting reports about presence of chemical weapons with Syrian government, senior US officials have claimed President Donald Trump is prepared to launch military action, if necessary, against Damascus, which they claim is possibly developing new types of chemical weapons.

According to reports the officials told media persons in Washington on Thursday that President Bahsar al-Assad government has saved a part of the chemical weapons stockpile despite a US-Russian deal under which Damascus had agreed to handover all such weapons for destruction in 2014.

The US officials claimed that Syrian armed forces have “evolved” their chemical weapons and occasionally used them in smaller amounts since 2017. However, they declined to provide specific details about the alleged Damascus moves for developing or maintaining chemical weapons.

Declining to specify how serious a chemical attack would have to be to draw a fresh US military response the US official said,”We reserve the right to use military force to prevent or deter the use of chemical weapons.”

However, another official said that the Trump administration hopes that stepped-up international sanctions and diplomatic pressure against Damascus will help rein in Syria’s chemical weapons program.

He was of the opinion that if international community does not act quickly to tighten the screws on Mr Assad, Syria’s chemical weapons could spread beyond its borders and possibly even “to US shores”.

The US officials further said that Syrian authorities appeared to have embraced ground-based means for launching chemical strikes rather than the air attacks because the ground-based operations are difficult to detect. “They think they can get away with it if they keep it under a certain level,” the official said.

In April 2017, during the height of military action against Daesh (IS) more than 80 people reportedly died in sarin gas attack on Khan Shaykhun in Idlib Province. US administration had alleged that Assad regime had used the banned weapon. It was followed by missile strikes by US military on a Syrian air base.

However, Syria and Russia had rejected the US claims, suggesting that militants might have detonated the chemical weapons on the ground. Washington has acknowledged supporting anti-Assad groups on several occasions.

Meanwhile US Defence Secretary James Mattis said on Friday that the Syrian government would be ill-advised to “go back to violating the chemical (weapons) convention”. However, he acknowledged of not having seen evidence of the nerve agent sarin used by the Syrian government.

In June last year, the fact finding team of  Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), published the results of its probe of the April 4 incident confirming that the nerve gas sarin was used in Khan Shaykhun incident.

However, Russia described the OPCW report as “very biased” arguing the report failed to address the question of who was responsible for the use of the chemical substance.

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, while claiming that Syrian government has used chemical weapons against militants in recent operations, said last week that Russia bears some responsibility for failing to enforce the chemical weapons ban on Syria.

However, Russia has denied any complicity and Damascus has denied of carrying out any of the attacks. Instead Assad government said that the accusations were aimed to hinder efforts to find peaceful solution to the conflict.

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Putin deliberately chose Christmas to attack, says Zelensky as Russia targets Ukrainian energy infrastructure

The Ukrainian Air Force stated that multiple missiles had been launched at the Kharkiv, Dnipro, and Poltava regions in the east.

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Russian President Vladimir Putin chose Christmas Day deliberately to launch a brutal assault on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, resulting in widespread explosions throughout the country, said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday.

The attack involved a significant barrage of missiles and drones aimed at critical energy facilities, including a thermal power plant, prompting citizens to seek refuge in metro stations on Christmas morning.

“Today, Putin intentionally chose Christmas for this attack. What could be more inhumane?” Zelensky remarked, asserting that Russia is resolutely pursuing a strategy to cause blackouts across Ukraine.

He emphasised that each large-scale Russian strike necessitates careful preparation, stating, “It is never a spontaneous decision. It is a deliberate choice—not only of targets but also of timing.”

In his statement on X, Zelensky reported that more than 70 missiles, including ballistic types, and over 100 attack drones were launched at Ukraine’s power infrastructure.

Ukrainian Vice Prime Minister Oleksii Kuleba said that at least one person was killed in the Dnipro region due to the attacks. He noted that heating services were disrupted for 155 residential buildings in Ivano-Frankivsk and that around 500,000 residents, or 2,677 buildings, in the Kharkiv region, were left without heat.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha mentioned that one Russian missile had passed through Moldovan and Romanian airspace. He added that Ukraine managed to intercept at least 50 missiles and a considerable number of drones during the attack.

Ukrainian Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko stated that Russia had significantly targeted the country’s energy infrastructure again in a Facebook post. The Ukrainian Air Force stated that multiple missiles had been launched at the Kharkiv, Dnipro, and Poltava regions in the east.

“The electricity distribution system operator is implementing necessary measures to limit consumption in order to reduce the negative impact on the power system,” he explained. “Once the security situation permits, energy workers will assess the damage.”

DTEK, Ukraine’s largest private energy company, reported that a Russian strike hit one of their thermal power plants on the morning of December 25, 2024, marking the 13th attack on Ukraine’s power grid this year. CEO Maxim Timchenko condemned the assault on X, stating, “Denying light and warmth to millions of peace-loving people celebrating Christmas is a depraved and evil act that must be answered.”

In response to the massive missile attack, the Ukrainian state energy operator, Ukrenergo, implemented preemptive power outages nationwide, resulting in electricity shortages in several districts of Kyiv.

In Kharkiv, at least seven strikes ignited fires throughout the city, as reported by regional head Oleh Syniehubov on Telegram. Authorities confirmed at least three injuries. Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov warned residents, “Kharkiv is under heavy missile fire. A series of explosions have occurred in the city, and ballistic missiles are still incoming. Please stay in safe locations.”

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Russia-bound Azerbaijan Airlines plane with 60 passengers crashes near Kazakhstan’s Aktau

Azerbaijan Airlines in a statement said the flight had made an emergency landing approximately three kilometres near Aktau.

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Russia-bound Azerbaijan Airlines plane with 60 passengers crashes near Kazakhstan’s Aktau

Many people are feared dead after a plane carrying 60 people crashed while making an emergency landing near Kazakhstan’s Aktau city on Wednesday. The authorities said that twelve people survived the crash.

Russian news agencies reported that Azerbaijan Airlines flight J2-8243 was en route from Baku to Grozny in Russia, but was rerouted due to fog in Grozny.

Furthermore, Kazakh media had initially reported that 110 people – 105 passengers and five crew members were on board. Later, the authorities revised the number to 72 – 67 passengers and five crew members.

A visual showed the moment the plane loses altitude and makes a rapid descent before it crashes and bursts into flames. As the plane crashes, plumes of smoke are seen rising on the spot. The plane crashed into an open field and burst into flames.

Kazakhstan’s emergency ministry stated that emergency services extinguished the fire at the crash site, adding that survivors were rushed to a nearby hospital for medical assistance.

Azerbaijan Airlines in a statement said the flight had made an emergency landing approximately three kilometres near Aktau. It added that the Embraer 190 aircraft operated by Azerbaijan Airlines, flight numbered J2-8243 on the Baku-Grozny route, made an emergency landing approximately three kilometres near the city of Aktau. Additional information regarding the incident will be provided to the public, it mentioned. Reports stated that the authorities said they had begun looking into different possible versions of what had happened, including a technical problem.

Meanwhile, in another recent deadly plane crash, 10 people died on Sunday after a small aircraft crashed in a Brazilian town that’s popular with tourists. The 10 deceased were passengers and crew on board. Over a dozen people on the ground were injured in the incident, Brazil’s Civil Defence Agency said.

The Civil Defence Agency said that the plane hit the chimney of a home and then the second floor of a building before crashing into a mobile phone shop in a largely residential neighbourhood of Gramado.  It was not immediately clear what caused the crash.

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YouTuber Zara Dar clarifies misconceptions, denies being Pakistani, and explains decision to quit PhD for OnlyFans

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Zara Dar clarifies her background and career change in a social media post

YouTuber Zara Dar, who sparked significant attention after revealing she was leaving her PhD studies to pursue a full-time career on OnlyFans, has addressed a series of misconceptions circulating about her. In a series of posts on social media platform X, Dar clarified the misinformation and took the opportunity to set the record straight on several points, particularly regarding her background and career shift.

The controversy began when Zara posted a video explaining her decision to quit her PhD in engineering and focus on adult content creation. The video quickly went viral, with some viewers misinterpreting or distorting the details of her story. One of the most prevalent rumors was that Zara Dar was of Pakistani origin.

In her clarification, Zara stated, “With all due respect, I am not Pakistani. I am American, born and raised, with a mixed background: American, Persian, Southern European, Middle Eastern, and Indian.” She explained that her name, “Darcy,” which she shortens to “Dar,” led to confusion, as it resembled that of a different Pakistani influencer, Zara Dar.

Zara also addressed the emergence of fake content under her name, including deepfake videos, and vehemently denied any associations with such material. She emphasized that, despite the false claims, she had not given any exclusive interviews and had only used social media to share her story.

Regarding her decision to leave academia, Zara shared that her shift to OnlyFans, while financially rewarding, also provided her with the freedom she felt was missing in her academic career. “It has given me the freedom to learn and share new content,” she stated, adding that while she had stepped away from her PhD, she would still continue to create educational content on her YouTube channel.

The announcement sent shockwaves across her fanbase, as many were surprised by her drastic career change. However, Zara explained that the decision was motivated not only by financial viability but also by her desire for personal autonomy outside the rigid structures of academia.

As Zara Dar continues to navigate the shift from academia to content creation, she remains committed to building her brand while tackling the misinformation surrounding her. Through her candid social media posts, she aims to keep her followers informed and provide clarity on her personal and professional choices.

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