Russia declared a federal state of emergency on Friday, December 27, 2024, after an oil spill in the Black Sea after an oil tanker split catastrophically in the middle of a fierce winter storm. According to Russian Emergencies Ministry's head, Alexander Kurenkov, the declaration was made after a safety meeting that day.

The incident and its impact

A Russian oil tanker named Volgoneft 212, carrying more than 4,000 tons of fuel, broke apart off the coast of Crimea on December 15, 2024. Videos of the sinking showed half the vessel submerged in water. The authorities began a rescue operation to save the crew, although one was killed in the disaster.

Two other ships, the Volgoneft 239 and the Volgoneft 109, also experienced the same problems. However, their crew were rescued immediately.

Kaamya Karthikeyan, 17, has etched her name in history as the youngest female to conquer the highest peak on each of the seven continents. Accompanied by her father, Cdr S Karthikeyan, the young adventurer reached the summit of Mount Vincent in Antarctica at 17.20 Chilean Standard Time on December 24, completing the prestigious Seven Summits Challenge, the Indian Navy reported.

A Class 12 student at Navy Children School in Mumbai, she had previously conquered Mt Kilimanjaro in Africa, Mt Elbrus in Europe, Mt Kosciuszko in Australia, Mt Aconcagua in South America, Mt Denali in North America, and Mt Everest in Asia.

Congratulating Karthikeyan on her remarkable achievements, the official handle of the Indian Navy wrote, “Ms Kaamya Karthikeyan, class XII student at @IN_NCSMumbai, scripts history by becoming the youngest female in the world to scale seven highest peaks across seven continents – Africa (Mt. Kilimanjaro), Europe (Mt. Elbrus), Australia (Mt. Kosciuszko), South America (Mt. Aconcagua), North America (Mt. Denali), Asia (Mt. Everest) & culminating with the current climb in Antarctica.”

Ace Indian shuttler Lakshya Sen secured third place at the King Cup International Badminton Open 2024 after defeating French opponent Alex Lanier in Shenzhen, China, on Sunday.

Sen, India's best-placed singles player at world No. 12, triumphed over world No. 18 Lanier with a 21-17, 21-11 scoreline in the third-place playoff match.

The Indian badminton player advanced to the third-place match after losing to China's Hu Zhe'an, the reigning junior world champion and current world No 1, in the semi-finals.

Indian pacer Arshdeep Singh has been nominated for the ICC Men’s T20I Cricketer of the Year award following a stellar season in which he emerged as the joint highest wicket-taker and played a pivotal role in India’s T20 World Cup triumph.

The 25-year-old will compete for the prestigious honour alongside Pakistan’s Babar Azam, Australia’s Travis Head, and Zimbabwe’s Sikandar Raza, all of whom are among the standout performers this year.

Stylish Indian opener Smriti Mandhana too will be vying for an ICC award after being nominated for ICC Women’s ODI Cricketer of the Year for her standout performance in international cricket.

Having achieved the monumental feat of winning the World Rapid chess title for a second time, Indian stalwart Koneru Humpy would be eyeing a grand double when the FIDE World Blitz Championship commences here on Tuesday.

Humpy had on Sunday capped a wonderful year for Indian chess, defeating Irene Sukandar of Indonesia to emerge the FIDE Women’s World Rapid Chess champion.

The Indian had won the event back in 2019 at Georgia and, on Sunday, became only the second player after China’s Ju Wenjun to clinch the title a second time.

At stake is not just the title but a chance to win another USD 60,000 (around Rs 50 lakhs) cheque as the Blitz championship carries the same prize money as Rapid.

The strong Indian contingent is geared up for the championship that will have 13 rounds in the ‘Open’ category and 11 in the women’s section.

Kerala defeated Chandigarh 34-31 to clinch their maiden Senior National Men's Handball Championship title here on Sunday.

Kerala had earlier entered the summit clash for the first time, edging out Services 23-21 in the semi-finals, while Chandigarh earned their spot by defeating Indian Railways 32-30.

Kerala's Devendar was adjudged the 'Best Player of the Championship', while Rahul got the award for the 'Best Goalkeeper'.

Haryana Steelers produced an outstanding display on the mat to beat Patna Pirates 32-23 and clinch their maiden Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) crown in Pune on Sunday. With show-stopper Mohammadreza Shadloui in full flow, Haryana Steelers won the final with consummate ease. For Haryana Steelers, Shivam Patare scored nine points, Shadloui seven and Vinay added six more. The champions were awarded Rs 3 crore, while the runners-up got Rs 1.8 crore.

Haryana Steelers were off to a quick start, picking up the first few points and the lead in the early exchanges. Devank and Ankit put up a dogged fight Patna Pirates, but Haryana Steelers kept dictating terms and controlling the tempo, with Shivam Patare and Shadloui doing the heavy lifting.

Haryana Steelers' defence, led by Jaideep and Rahul Sethpal, showed why it considered one of the best units in the competition, as it made scoring extremely difficult for Patna Pirates. However, as the half progressed, Gurdeep and Sudhakar brought Patna Pirates within touching distance of their opponents. Devank and Ayan then levelled things up, before Shivam Patare and Vinay put Haryana Steelers in the box seat. At the half-time break, Haryana Steelers led 15-12.

Former soccer player Mikheil Kavelashvili was formally inaugurated as President of Georgia on Sunday (December 29, 2024), cementing the ruling party's grip in what the opposition calls a blow to the country’s EU aspirations and a victory for former imperial ruler Russia.

Outgoing pro-Western Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili said Sunday (December 29, 2024) morning that she would vacate her residence at the Orbeliani Palace in Tbilisi, but insisted she was still the legitimate office holder.

“I will come out of here, come out to you and be with you.... This presidential residence was a symbol as long as there was a President here who was legitimate. I bring legitimacy with me,” Ms. Zourabichvili told a crowd of supporters outside the palace.

The Indian Army has recently unveiled a grand statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj at Pangong Tso in Ladakh near the India-China border, a move that has drawn both praise and criticism.

Installed by the Fire and Fury Corps on December 26, the statue honours the legendary Maratha king, celebrated for his courage and foresight. While the installation underscores India's strategic and cultural presence in the contested region, it has also sparked controversy over its relevance to Ladakh's heritage and ecology.

Pangong Tso, a picturesque yet strategically vital high-altitude lake in eastern Ladakh, has long been a flashpoint in India-China relations. The lake gained prominence during the 2020 standoff, when both nations’ forces engaged in intense confrontations along its banks.

Jimmy Carter, a champion of peace, global health, and human rights, has left an indelible mark on the world. As the 39th President of the United States, he played a pivotal role in brokering peace in the Middle East during his tenure from 1977 to 1981.

Democratic presidential candidate and former South Bend, Ind., mayor, Pete Buttigieg, left, and his husband Chasten Buttigieg, second from the right, meet with former President Jimmy Carter and former first lady Rosalynn Carter at the Buffalo Cafe in Plains, Ga., March 1, 2020.