China cracks down on negativity over economy in bid to boost confidence (www.theguardian.com)
Putin Ally Found Dead After Falling From Third-Floor Window (www.charlotteobserver.com)
Vladimir Egorov, an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, was found dead on Wednesday, according to Russian state media. Tobolsk City Duma deputy Egorov, 46, a member of Putin’s ruling United Russia party, fell from the third floor window of a house on Kedrovaya Street in Tobolsk in the Tyumen Oblast, Russian Telegram...
Poland says Russian rocket entered its airspace, summons diplomat (www.nbcnews.com)
Poland summoned the Russian charge d’affaires and demanded an explanation for the violation of Poland’s airspace by a missile and an immediate halt to such activities, Poland’s foreign ministry said in a statement on Friday evening....
Full Monty actor Tom Wilkinson dies aged 75 (www.theguardian.com)
He played Gerald Arthur Cooper in the 1997 comedy about a group of redundant steelworkers from Sheffield who set up an all-male striptease act, receiving a Bafta for best supporting actor for his performance....
Russia has deployed battalion of Ukrainian prisoners of war to frontline - ISW (www.ukrinform.net)
Russia has officially deployed a battalion formed of Ukrainian prisoners of war (POWs) to the frontline in Ukraine, further confirming a myriad of apparent Russian violations of the Geneva Convention on POWs....
Bulgaria, Romania get official green light for partial entry into Schengen area (www.politico.eu)
EU member countries reached agreement Saturday on removing air and maritime internal border controls with Bulgaria and Romania, but the two countries’ full entry into the bloc’s passport-free Schengen zone remains subject to further discussions....
Explosions and fires reported in centre of Belgorod due to mistake of Russian air defence (www.pravda.com.ua)
Explosions were heard in Belgorod, Russia, on 30 December, and wreckage fell in the city centre after the work of Russian air defence....
US Navy helicopters destroy Houthi boats in Red Sea after attempted hijack (www.bbc.com)
Prince Andrew ‘tormented’ as Jeffrey Epstein documents set to be made public (www.independent.co.uk)
Strike on Belgorod that killed more than a dozen 'will not go unpunished', Russia says (www.france24.com)
civilians in the city of Belgorod with missiles and rockets, killing at least 18 people and wounding dozens more....
North Korea's Kim orders military to accelerate war preparations (www.reuters.com)
Separatist Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik vows to tear his country apart despite US warnings (apnews.com)
The Bosnian Serbs’ separatist leader vowed to carry on weakening his war-scarred country to the point where it will tear apart, despite a pledge by the United States to prevent such an outcome....
Pakistan election body rejects ex-PM Imran Khan's nomination for 2024 elections (www.reuters.com)
KARACHI, Pakistan, Dec 30 (Reuters) - Pakistan’s election body has rejected former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s nomination to contest the 2024 national elections in two constituencies, officials and his party’s media team said on Saturday....
UN Condemns Nicaragua: UN condemns Nicaragua for 'forced disappearance' of priest (m.timesofindia.com)
Anger in Poland after state TV execs’ salaries under previous government made public (notesfrompoland.com)
Controversy has emerged in Poland after the salaries paid to key figures at state broadcaster TVP under the former Law and Justice (PiS) government, which left office earlier this month, were revealed by an MP from the new ruling coalition....
Magnitude 6.3 earthquake strikes Papua, Indonesia (www.reuters.com)
A magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck Papua, Indonesia on Sunday, the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre said....
Missile and drone attacks launched against Russia (www.bbc.com)
Putin's major aerial attack on Ukraine cost Russia $1.2 billion: Report (www.newsweek.com)
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s military on Friday launched what’s been called the largest aerial attack of the Ukraine war, and one economic-focused Ukrainian outlet estimated the cost of the assault for Russia to be at least $1.273 billion....
Israeli Military Admits Fault in 2 Deadly Strikes in Central Gaza - The New York Times (www.nytimes.com)
South Africa seeks International Court of Justice genocide order against Israel | The Straits Times (www.straitstimes.com)
Poland says Russian missile entered airspace then went into Ukraine (www.bbc.com)
Poland’s armed forces chief believes a Russian missile entered Poland for almost three minutes and then turned back into Ukrainian airspace....
Chinese ex-Navy chief, with South China Sea background, named defence minister (www.reuters.com)
BEIJING, Dec 29 (Reuters) - China named former Navy chief Dong Jun as its new defence minister on Friday to replace the last minister who disappeared from public view four months ago....
China removes nine PLA generals from top legislature in sign of wider purge (www.scmp.com)
Five past or current top commanders of elite PLA Rocket Force among those stripped of NPC role, Standing Committee statement issued on Friday says...
Game of clones: Science is immortalizing Argentina’s top polo horses (wapo.st)
the extent to which this polo-obsessed nation has already fundamentally transformed the sport and the nature of horse breeding was evident on the field at the Argentine Open in Palermo in late November. As the players and the clones watched a video montage memorializing the late original champion mare, her name flashed across...