Real-time News

The Ukrainian POW Reconciliation Center reports that Belarus has transferred 114 civilians to Ukraine, including Ukrainian and Belarusian citizens.

The U.S. Embassy in Lithuania reported that nine prisoners, including Nobel laureate Ales Bialyatsky, have been transferred from Belarus to Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania. Other prisoners are being transferred from Belarus to Ukraine.

On December 13, the U.S. Embassy in Vilnius (the capital of the Republic of Lithuania) announced that Belarus had released 123 prisoners following a meeting between U.S. Special Envoy Cole and Belarusian President Lukashenko, including Nobel Peace Prize laureate Ales Bialyatsky. The released prisoners, who were transferred to Lithuania, included Belarusian citizens, U.S. citizens, and citizens of other countries. The U.S. will continue diplomatic efforts to release the remaining political prisoners in Belarus. The embassy stated that the U.S. is prepared to engage with Belarus in a manner consistent with U.S. interests.

The Belarusian Presidential Palace announced that Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has pardoned 123 prisoners in connection with an agreement reached with the United States. Those pardoned include individuals convicted of terrorism, extremism, and espionage.

According to Belarusian opposition media: Belarusian authorities have released Belarusian opposition politician Maria Kolesnikova.

Two Syrian local officials said that a joint US-Syrian military patrol was attacked by unidentified attackers in central Syria.

December 13th - According to Japan's Jiji Press, Japanese Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama essentially expressed her approval of the Bank of Japan's expected interest rate hike on Saturday. Speaking in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture, she stated, "There are no major disagreements between us and the Bank of Japan. Given the continued circulation of related reports, I felt it necessary to make a clear statement." Previous media reports indicated that the Bank of Japan might raise its policy rate from the current approximately 0.5% to approximately 0.75% at its two-day monetary policy meeting ending next Friday.

The Israeli military said it struck a "key Hamas terrorist" in Gaza City.

On December 13th, Chery Automobile (09973.HK) issued a statement expressing its firm support for the "Guidelines on Price Behavior Compliance in the Automotive Industry" and its commitment to promoting high-quality development. Chery Automobile consistently upholds a long-term perspective, opposes price wars and "involutionary" competition, and will actively respond to the spirit of the "Guidelines," comprehensively reviewing price behavior across the entire supply chain and continuously strengthening compliance management and system construction. Chery Automobile pledges to ensure transparent pricing, oppose any form of price fraud and manipulation, return competition to its core value creation principles, oppose any malicious competition that disrupts the healthy ecosystem of the industry, deepen cooperation through compliance, and encourage partners to implement the spirit of the "Guidelines" to jointly maintain a healthy market ecosystem.

On December 13, the head of the Zaporizhia region appointed by Russia, Baritsky, stated that two external power transmission lines simultaneously disconnected in the early hours of the day, causing the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant to lose its external power supply. During this time, backup diesel generators automatically started, and all systems were operating normally. No incidents were recorded that could compromise the safe operation of the nuclear power plant. Baritsky stated that the external power supply to the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant has now been fully restored. The backup diesel generators have entered standby mode, all safety systems are operating normally, and radiation levels are within normal ranges. Relevant departments are investigating the cause of the external power line disconnection.

According to Belarusian state media, U.S. envoy Kohler stated that he discussed the issues of Ukraine and Venezuela with Belarusian President Lukashenko.

On December 13, the Russian Ministry of Defense stated, "In response to last night's terrorist attacks on civilian targets within Russia by Ukraine, the Russian Armed Forces launched a large-scale strike early this morning against facilities of the Ukrainian military-industrial complex and the energy facilities that support their operation." The Russian Armed Forces used land-based and sea-based precision-guided weapons in the attack, including Kinzhal missiles and drones. Energy and industrial facilities in Odessa were damaged. Much of Odessa is experiencing power outages, water shortages, and heating disruptions. An explosion was also reported in Podolsk, Odessa Oblast. Ukraine's DTEK Energy Company stated that 20 substations in the region were damaged.

Russian Ministry of Defense: Troops from the Eastern Military District are advancing in a special military operations zone.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan: I hope to discuss a Ukraine-Russia peace plan with US President Donald Trump after meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

On December 13th, local time, a spokesperson for the Thai Ministry of Defense stated that the latest round of conflict on the Thai-Cambodian border has resulted in the deaths of 15 Thai soldiers and injuries to approximately 270 others. The spokesperson also stated that Thailand has established 970 temporary refugee centers, housing 263,105 people, and that the death toll among Thai civilians has reached 7. Intense clashes erupted on the Thai-Cambodian border on December 7th, with heavy artillery fire heard in multiple locations. Both sides accused the other of firing first.

Ukrainian President Zelensky: Russian troops have intensified their shelling of the Odessa region's energy system, and we are working to restore local power supplies.

The Russian Ministry of Defense stated that 169 Ukrainian drones were shot down in the past 24 hours.

According to EuroPravda, the Czech president stated that the goal of supplying Ukraine with 1.8 million rounds of large-caliber ammunition this year has been achieved.

Iranian media reported that 18 crew members of a foreign oil tanker seized in the Gulf of Oman have been detained on suspicion of transporting "smuggled fuel."

On December 13th, Han Wenxiu, Deputy Director of the Central Financial and Economic Affairs Commission and Director of the Central Rural Work Leading Group Office, stated that to ensure the success of next year's economic work, it is essential to adhere to the principle of seeking progress while maintaining stability, improving quality and efficiency, strengthening counter-cyclical and cross-cyclical adjustments, and effectively enhancing the efficiency of macroeconomic governance. Since the Politburo meeting on September 26th last year, a series of policies and measures have been introduced and implemented, and additional policies will be introduced and implemented next year based on changes in the situation. It is crucial to leverage the integrated effect of existing and new policies to promote steady and positive economic growth. The market economy is largely an expectation economy; therefore, it is necessary to improve the expectation management mechanism, conduct effective economic publicity and public opinion guidance, respond promptly to market concerns, and effectively boost social confidence.