Berlin’s plan for driverless magnetic trains derided by climate groups (www.theguardian.com)
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...
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....
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...
China cracks down on negativity over economy in bid to boost confidence (www.theguardian.com)
Mexican president inaugurates centralized 'super pharmacy' to supply medicines to all of Mexico (apnews.com)
Mexico’s president inaugurated a huge “super pharmacy” Friday in a bid to end the woes of patients throughout the country who are often told they need a specific medicine — but the hospital in question doesn’t have it....
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...
Brazil expresses concern over Venezuela-Guyana border dispute as naval exercises begin in area (apnews.com)
BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — Brazil’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Friday it was concerned about a border dispute between Venezuela and Guyana that intensified this week following Britain’s decision to send a warship to Guyana’s shores.
Israel proposes a partial withdrawal of troops from Gaza in exchange for release of hostages (english.elpais.com)
Students launch 24-hour traffic blockade in Serbia’s capital ahead of weekend election protest (apnews.com)
BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — A group of university students on Friday launched a 24-hour blockade of a main street in Serbia’s capital during New Year’s holiday rush as protests continued in the troubled Balkan country after reports of irregularities that marred a recent election....
G7 to explore ways to confiscate $300 billion in Russian assets (japantoday.com)
Workers protest in Indonesia after blast at Chinese-funded nickel plant (www.msn.com)
Hundreds of Indonesian workers have protested for better work safety standards following an explosion at a Chinese-funded nickel processing plant that killed 18 people and injured dozens more.
Chile approves plan to allocate public land for energy storage projects (www.pv-magazine.com)
A new initiative by the Chilean Ministry of Energy and the Ministry of National Assets is expected to cover storage projects with an aggregate capacity of 13 GWh, distributed mainly in the regions from Arica y Parinacota to Atacama....
South Korean loan for Poland arms deal does not exist, says PM (www.reuters.com)
WARSAW, Dec 27 (Reuters) - A South Korean loan to Poland to finance arms deals does not actually exist, Poland’s prime minister said on Wednesday, although the new government hopes to still continue with the purchases....
[Argentina] Milei’s mega-decree officially takes effect (buenosairesherald.com)
The executive order, which radically reshapes the country’s economy, will be enforced for a minimum of two months...
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....
Israeli officials: Qatar says Hamas "agreed in principle" to resume hostage deal talks (www.axios.com)
Qatari mediators told Israel that Hamas has “agreed in principle” to resume talks on a new deal to secure the release of around three dozen hostages held in Gaza in return for up to several weeks of a halt in fighting, three Israeli officials said.
Controversial Brazil law curbing Indigenous rights comes into force (www.theguardian.com)
China names a new defense minister after the last one was ousted without reason (www.semafor.com)
China on Friday appointed a new defense minister to replace Li Shangfu, who was ousted from his post earlier this year after just seven months into the job, and hasn’t been seen in public since August....
Israel Expands Operations in Southern Gaza Amid Worsening Humanitarian Crisis (www.wsj.com)
Israeli forces expanded their military operations in the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis, intensifying efforts to kill Hamas’s top leadership, as aid agencies said the areas to which Israel has directed Palestinians to evacuate were increasingly overcrowded, short on resources and hit by Israeli strikes....
Burundi president calls for stoning of gay couples (www.vanguardngr.com)
Burundi’s President Evariste Ndayishimiye launched a virulent anti-gay tirade on Friday, saying same-sex couples should be publicly stoned....