Russia

Russia is expelling the Bulgarian military attache's aide Lieutenant-Colonel Mitko Borisov in retaliation for the expulsion of a Russian diplomat from Sofia. A note to this effect was handed to Bulgaria's ambassador in Moscow Atanas Krastin, who was summoned to the Russian Foreign Ministry on Monday.

The question is, why is Germany doing this and why now?

The number of confirmed cases of coronavirus infection worldwide increased by more than 434,779 people in the last 24 hours and reached 79.23 million, according to World Health Organization data released today and cited by TASS and BTA.

"Having in mind the international and regional circumstances, the realization of that task will not be easy, but I am convinced that by working together we will succeed in achieving our goals and guaranteeing people security and a secure future," Vucic said.
He also looked at the other goals he sets.

Sailors who went missing after their fishing boat sank in the Barents Sea have died according to preliminary reports, an emergency service source told TASS Monday.

President Putin will receive the Sputnik V vaccine. Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin spokesman, told a Russian state TV channel: "He said he will be vaccinated. He made this decision and was waiting until all formalities are completed."

Turkey and Russia will carry out a comprehensive review of their bilateral relationship and regional cooperation in the Syrian, Libyan and Nagorno-Karabakh theaters and will plan 2021-2022 diplomatic consultations, including the next Turkish-Russian high-level cooperation council at the presidential level.

With a thumbs up shortly after 1pm today Efstathia Kambisiouli - the head nurse at COVID-19 reference hospital Evangelismos - became the first Greek to receive the Pfizer-Bio-N-Tech vaccine.

Serbia on Dec. 25 held a test run of the TurkStream gas pipeline project that connects Russia to Europe.

Its official commissioning will be held on Dec. 30, said Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic.

A swath of EU nations begin vaccinating their most vulnerable groups on Dec. 27 as a reputedly more contagious coronavirus variant spread internationally and the WHO warned that the current pandemic would not be the last.