Russian President Vladimir Putin vowed to continue the war against Ukraine in recent days, effectively rejecting U.S. President Donald J. Trump’s renewed overtures for a peace and/or ceasefire settlement for the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian War. During a televised address in the past few days, President Putin said that there will be “no negotiations with terrorists,” referring to Ukraine.

With U.S. President Donald J. Trump continuing to make overtures of peace negotiations towards his Russian counterpart and President Vladimir Putin vowing to continue and increase strikes against Ukraine, traders on Polymarket are predicting that it’s likely that President Trump will meet President Putin in the near term, with traders assessing a 60% chance that the meet will happen by December 31, 2026.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) Center has stated two fatalities have been confirmed in a newly issued an update following today's earlier advisory regarding the attack on a vessel on August 31st as it transited the Strait of Hormuz.

At least 17 mariners have been killed since operations commenced against Iran on February 28th.

The USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) docked at Laem Chabang, Thailand, earlier today, marking its first port visit where sailors will be afforded liberty ashore since departing Naval Base San Diego, California, on November 21, 2025.

The carrier made a brief one day logistics stop in Guam on December 11 before departing the following day and continuing west.

Lincoln arrived in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations in the Middle East on January 26, 2026, where it supported combat operations against Iran for months before being relieved by the USS George Washington (CVN-73) approximately two weeks ago.

The port visit in Thailand comes after one of the longest sustained operational periods for a U.S. aircraft carrier in recent years, giving the crew its first opportunity for a significant liberty port visit since leaving San Diego.

Photo: Reuters

In what was likely a joke, on his Truth Social app, U.S. President Donald J. Trump suggested the Strait of Hormuz to the Trump Strait.

Following UKMTO’s reports of a ‘security’ incident in the Strait of Hormuz, that has resulted in the deaths of 2 mariners, the IRGC has claimed that two oil tankers struck Iranian mines in the strait whilst sailing through transit routes other than the ones laid out by Iran’s Persian Gulf Strait Authority (PGSA). Per reporting on the release, the remaining mariners were “forced to disembark their crews and ⁠were placed in ⁠the hands of US operatives.”
More to come.

During an ongoing press availability in the Oval Office, U.S. President Donald J. Trump, while speaking on economic relations with Canada, said that Canada has been harder to deal with than China, as it relates to ongoing tariffs and trade negotiations.

While speaking to press just earlier, U.S. President Donald J. Trump said that Iran could be hit again soon, adding that “we hit them very hard last night.”

According to U.S. President Donald J. Trump, Iran is having trouble identifying and seeing vessels in the Strait of Hormuz due to the U.S. targeting of coastal and somewhat inland radar sites. If true, this might account for Iran’s use of small craft with literal searchlights to make visible contact with vessels, first reported a few days ago by @_MartinKelly_.

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) has published video of U.S. forces operating in support of the naval blockade of Iran. As of today, U.S. forces have redirected 86 vessels, boarded two in order to ensure compliance and disabled three who failed to comply with directives.

Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, when asked about why his administration hasn’t pushed Interim Venezuelan President Delcy Rodríguez to hold elections, U.S. President Donald J. Trump said that he thinks they are not ready for elections at this time. This comes amidst a shaky dynamic between Venezuelan opposition leader Marìna Corina Machado and the Trump administration, the aftermath of twin 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude earthquakes, and a landmark U.S. Venezuela oil deal.

2 police officers and an unspecified amount of other victims have reportedly been shot in Minneapolis, Minnesota during an active shooter incident.
More to come.

Advisory from the City of Minneapolis advising people to avoid the area of a shooting incident where 2 police officers and an unspecified number of people have been shot. Law enforcement is actively working in the area.

According to local news outlets, during the shooting incident in Minneapolis, Minnesota, “multiple civilians are dead after at least six people, including two police officers” have been shot, with the two officers being shot in the stomach and leg.

According to CBS’s local outlet WCCO, the two officers who were shot, one in the leg and one in the stomach, during the shooting incident Minneapolis, Minnesota are expected to survive, with additional reports from other sources now saying that the shooter is likely down already.

Operations against cartel designated organizations are back in swing with the second operation being announced by U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) in just as many weeks. Like last week’s operation, at the direction of SOUTHCOM Commander General Francis L. Donovan, Joint Task Force Western Hemisphere (JTF-WHEM), in coordination with the Ecuadorian government, interdicted a vessel in the Eastern Pacific Ocean operating as a refueling station supporting illicit at-sea drug trafficking efforts of the Los Choneros narcotics-terrorist organization. Per the release, sailors and U.S. Marines from the USS San Antonio (LPD-17) boarded and cleared the vessel, apprehended those aboard, and transferred them to Ecuadorian authorities. The vessel, per the video release, was subsequently destroyed.

According to a release from the Kuwaiti Armed Forces, their air defenses are currently dealing with a missile and drone attack, likely from Iran and/or Iranian-backed proxies in the region.