A NASA probe made history Christmas Eve after becoming the closest human-made object to the sun, a feat scientists say was as historic as the Apollo moon landing.

The Parker Solar Probe zoo-med within just 3.8 million miles of the sun's surface at 6:53am ET.

Moving at speeds of up to 430,000 mph and enduring temperature of up to 1,800F, the car-sized probe 'touched' the sun to help scientists better understand the star. 

A passenger plane operated by Azerbaijan Airlines from Baku to Grozny crashed near the Kazakh city of Aktau on Wednesday, Kazakhstan's Ministry of Emergency Situations (MES) said. The Embraer 190 aircraft with flight number J2-8243 crashed near Aktau Airport. The ministry reported 28 survivors in the incident, with rescue operations ongoing. There were 67 people on board, including 62 passengers and five crew members, Azerbaijan Airlines said on X.

SOME 3,000 homeless people sat down for a festive Christmas charity dinner on Tuesday in the centre of Buenos Aires, at a time when more than half of Argentina’s population is affected by poverty, one year into ultra-liberal Javier Milei’s term in office.
“I came because I feel alone and it’s sad,” said Walter Villagra, a 54-year-old homeless man who survives by collecting cans after he lost his job as an electrician four years ago.

SUZUKI’S newly introduced Ertiga Hybrid may affect the car market depending on the price it will be officially released in Myanmar, said U Kyaw Swa Tun Myint, general secretary of the Myanmar Automobile Manufacturers and Distributors Association (MAMDA).
Suzuki Myanmar has announced that the pre-tax and pre-license-fee price of the car is set at K 105 million, and details can be inquired at official showrooms.

MYANMAR women seeking employment in South Korea can now apply through the Public Overseas Employment Agency (POEA), according to a recent announcement.
The POEA has stated that applications are open for service sector positions in South Korea as part of the first batch of manufacturing and service jobs under Group 1. Job application forms for Group 1 will be available from 2 to 7 January 2025, with submissions accepted between 8 and 13 January.

On March 31, a similar satellite, the Resurs-P Number 4, was launched into orbit aboard a Soyuz-2.1b rocket from Baikonur. Sputnik brings you live coverage as the Russian Resurs-P satellite launches from Baikonur aboard the 2000th Soyuz-2.1b rocket, marking a significant milestone in space exploration. The satellite's journey into orbit is expected to take exactly 9 minutes and 23 seconds. The Resurs-P satellites are capable of capturing Earth images with a resolution of 70 centimeters (27.5 inches).

During the trekking season of Mount Taungwine located in Mawlamyine resumed in December, the arrival of walkers and pilgrims has reached even over 2,000 on weekends, according to the Sasananwe Foundation. On 21 and 22 December, there were 1,200 and 2,000 walkers respectively and around 1,500 on some days. It is expected that the visitor arrival will be larger during coming long holidays, said residents. “Taungwine is like Mandalay Hill. We can view our town, Mawlamyine from the top of Mount Taungwine so people enjoy visiting here. The trekking path is crowded from 5 am,” said a resident.

CHAUNGTHA Beach, located in Chaungtha Town of Pathein District, saw an influx of visitors from various regions on 25 December for the Christmas holiday.
According to a street vendor U Ko Ko Naing, “Visitor numbers vary daily, but holidays like Christmas bring significant crowds. Hotels and guesthouses receive bookings, and with the New Year approaching, the beach is becoming increasingly lively”.

Preparations are in progress in Hpa-an, Kayin State, for the Kayin New Year celebration, scheduled for 30 December 2024, which coincides with the first waxing of Pyatho. The first waxing day of Pyatho in the Myanmar lunar calendar marks the Kayin New Year. This year, 11 January also fell on the first waxing day of Pyatho, making the upcoming celebration the second Kayin New Year in 2024. “According to the Myanmar calendar, this rare occurrence happens every four or five years. During the last New Year, a large frog drum and a buffalo horn sculpture were crafted in the field of Taungkalay.

SLOVAK Prime Minister Robert Fico said that he had discussed with Russian President Vladimir Putin the situation in Ukraine and the possibilities for resolving the conflict, as well as relations between Russia and Slovakia.
“In a long conversation, Vladimir Putin and I exchanged views on the military situation in Ukraine and the possibilities for a early peaceful end to the war and on relations between Slovakia and Russia, which I intend to standardize,” Fico said on Facebook.