Breaking: At least 10 people killed in shooting in South Africa

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Source: People's Republic of China in Russian – People's Republic of China in Russian –

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Source: People's Republic of China – State Council News

JOHANNESBURG, December 21 (Xinhua) — At least 10 people were killed and 10 others were wounded in a shooting in a village near Johannesburg, South Africa's largest city and economic hub, police said on Sunday.

“Some of the victims were shot randomly on the streets by unknown gunmen,” local media reported, citing a police statement. –0–

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source. It represents an accurate account of the source's assertions and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

The third retail store under the “Made in Russia” brand has opened in Shanghai.

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Source: People's Republic of China in Russian – People's Republic of China in Russian –

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Source: People's Republic of China – State Council News

SHANGHAI, December 21 (Xinhua) — A retail store under the national brand "Made in Russia" opened in Shanghai on Saturday. The store was opened by Shanghai Pinyinong Electronic Commerce Co., Ltd., a regional partner of the Russian national pavilion, with the support of the Russian Export Center (REC, VEB Group, Russia).

"The Russian National Pavilion program is steadily expanding. While initially the focus was on food products, this year we've also begun offering industrial products and services from Russian companies. This provides an opportunity to showcase Russia's modern image to our Chinese partners – from traditional food products to cutting-edge technologies," said Alexey Solodov, Vice President of the Russian Export Center, at the opening ceremony.

He noted that the new store selling Russian goods is the third in Shanghai. Currently, there are over 120 retail outlets selling products under the "Made in Russia" brand in China, including stores and dedicated shelves in existing retail outlets.

In the tasting area, guests appreciated the quality of Russian chocolate, candies, confectionery, honey, flour, vegetable oil, mineral water, juices, beer, and vodka. They also had access to samples of the best Russian cosmetics and household cleaning products.

The event's extensive cultural program included a dance show and a demonstration of the achievements of Russian architecture, painting, and literature.

During the closed portion of the event, Russian business representatives held individual B2B meetings with potential partners from China.

Let us recall that in August of this year, the Russian Export Center launched two retail stores in Shanghai under the “Made in Russia” brand.

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source. It represents an accurate account of the source's assertions and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

The 22nd China-Russia-Mongolia International Ice and Snow Festival opened in Manzhouli.

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Source: People's Republic of China in Russian – People's Republic of China in Russian –

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Source: People's Republic of China – State Council News

HOHHOT, Dec. 21 (Xinhua) — The 22nd China-Russia-Mongolia International Ice and Snow Festival opened with a grand opening at the Ice Splendor Theme Park in Manzhouli City, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, on Saturday evening.

The current festival, jointly organized by the People's Government of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, the Government of the Zabaikalsky Krai of the Russian Federation, and the Government of the Eastern Aimag of Mongolia, is a signature provincial and ministerial event in the field of winter tourism. It includes a series of events covering cultural exchanges, winter sports, tourism and trade, and more, and will run until early January 2026.

As the main venue for this year's Ice and Snow Festival, the 128,000-square-meter "Icy Splendor" theme park is divided into six distinct sections, each featuring ice and snow sculptures and interactive activities that panoramically recreate the development and changes of Manzhouli, from its border station to its international port. The park features not only entertainment facilities, such as ice and snow slides and snow sleighs, but also commercial areas.

The festival will include cultural and artistic exchanges involving representatives of the three countries, a beauty contest, a meeting of intangible cultural heritage masters from the three countries, a tasting of Russian cuisine, a trade fair, and a New Year's celebration in Manzhouli with the participation of a thousand representatives of the three countries.

In particular, more than 40 enterprises from China, Russia, and Mongolia are expected to participate in the cultural and tourism goods fair. An online New Year's goods festival will also be launched, designed to further stimulate interest in winter consumption through short videos and e-commerce platforms.

The planned events will fully integrate the cultural elements of China, Russia, and Mongolia. The construction of a magnificent snow and ice theme park, the hosting of remarkable cultural and artistic performances, and thematic events brimming with exotic flavor will enhance the city of Manzhouli's appeal to Chinese and international tourists.

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source. It represents an accurate account of the source's assertions and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

China's animation box office in 2025 will exceed a record 25 billion yuan.

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Source: People's Republic of China – State Council News

BEIJING, Dec. 21 (Xinhua) — China's animation box office revenue has surpassed 25 billion yuan (about 3.54 billion U.S. dollars) this year, making 2025 the most profitable year for animation in the country's film history, according to data from online ticketing platforms.

Among this year's animated films, "Ne Zha 2" topped the box office chart, followed by "Zootopia 2" and "Nobody," which ranked second and third, respectively. -0-

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source. It represents an accurate account of the source's assertions and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

Five people are trapped after a flood hit a coal mine in northeast China.

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Source: People's Republic of China – State Council News

HARBIN, Dec. 21 (Xinhua) — Five people were trapped underground after a water burst at a coal mine early Sunday morning in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, local authorities said.

The tragedy occurred at around 4:30 a.m. Sunday at the Datongou coal mine of the Heilongjiang Fengyuan Mining Company in Jixi City, the Propaganda Department of the CPC Municipal Committee said.

Local authorities have established a joint rescue headquarters. Intensive search and rescue operations are currently underway.

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source. It represents an accurate account of the source's assertions and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

The China-Russia Future Workforce Development Plan project promotes educational cooperation between the two countries.

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Source: People's Republic of China – State Council News

Beijing, December 21 (Xinhua) — The China-Russia Future Talent Development Plan has held numerous events since late 2023, promoting educational cooperation between the two countries.

Tang Weiyang, Deputy Director of the China Institute of International Exchanges and Educational Personnel Training, noted that the "China-Russia Future Personnel Training Plan," an important program promoted by the institute, aims to create a broader platform for education and exchange among young people from both countries.

Last month, at the invitation of the administration of Zhongshan Elementary School in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, eastern China, the faculty and students of the Ivanteyevka Municipal Budgetary General Education Institution Educational Center No. 7 visited the Nanjing Memorial Museum of the Anti-Japanese War Pilots, a Xinhua News Agency correspondent was told at the museum.

According to the organizers, the event's purpose was to honor the memory of Soviet volunteer pilots who valiantly supported China in the anti-fascist war, to preserve the shared historical memories of the two countries, and to deepen cultural exchanges between young people.

On the same day, the aforementioned museum also opened a Demonstration Base for Chinese-Russian Friendly Exchanges as part of the China-Russia Future Talent Development Plan. The base will serve as an important platform for ongoing exchanges between young people from China and Russia.

On December 13, as part of the 12th National Remembrance Day for the Victims of the Nanjing Massacre, a civil memorial service was held in Nanjing, capital of Jiangsu Province, eastern China, to honor the memory of the 300,000 compatriots who perished in the tragedy. On that day, students and teachers from schools participating in the "China-Russia Future Talent Development Plan"—namely, Zhongshan Elementary School, Qixia Middle School, Yanziji High School, and Nanjing Vocational Technical Institute of Electromechanics—visited the Nanjing Anti-Japanese War Pilots' Martyrdom Museum.

During their visit to the museum, Chinese students and teachers viewed the museum's extensive collection of exhibits and learned about the scale of the Soviet Union's assistance to the Chinese people in their resistance to the Japanese invaders, as well as the great feats of Soviet heroes.

Established in 2009, the Nanjing Anti-Japanese War Airmen's Memorial Museum is China's first memorial museum to international airmen who died in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression. Its collection contains rich historical materials on the air forces of China, the Soviet Union, the United States, and other countries that fought together against Japanese aggression in China during World War II.

As a reminder, since 1995, the names of 4,299 Chinese and foreign fallen heroes, including 236 Soviet ones, have been engraved on marble memorial steles on the grounds of the aforementioned museum. In November 2024, the museum released for the first time a complete, updated list of these Soviet pilots who died in China during the Anti-Japanese War. And in May 2025, the museum published updated information on 18 Soviet volunteers. -0-

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source. It represents an accurate account of the source's assertions and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

Chinese researchers have made progress in clinical trials of an invasive brain-computer interface.

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Source: People's Republic of China – State Council News

BEIJING, December 21 (Xinhua) — A patient with tetraplegia navigated a smart wheelchair around the neighborhood with only his thoughts and commanded a robotic dog to fetch takeout food delivered by a courier. These scenes were the results of a clinical trial of an implantable brain-computer interface (BCI) recently conducted by a team of researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS).

These capabilities go beyond traditional rehabilitation, moving beyond two-dimensional cursor control on a screen and allowing interaction with the three-dimensional physical world.

BCIs are designed to create a direct communication channel between the brain and external devices. Research teams around the world have already demonstrated laboratory achievements, including mental typing and control of a robotic arm. However, the stable integration of this technology into patients' daily lives remains an ongoing challenge.

The aforementioned patient has suffered from tetraplegia since 2022 due to a spinal cord injury. In June 2025, he was implanted with an invasive brain-computer interface system developed by the Center for Research in Neurobiology and Intelligent Technologies at the Kanas Academy of Sciences. After several weeks of training and practice, he is now able to reliably control a computer cursor and a tablet.

The researchers used a high-bandwidth wireless implantable invasive BCI system to enable the patient to stably control a smart wheelchair and a robotic dog using neural signals, enabling autonomous mobility and object retrieval in real-world conditions.

This important milestone marks China's progress from restoring basic interaction capabilities to expanding the boundaries of functional activities for paralyzed patients in real-life settings.

The research team also made several technical breakthroughs, developing a high-compression, high-fidelity neural data compression technology and innovatively integrating two decoding methods. This hybrid decoding model effectively extracts useful information even in the presence of relatively noisy neural signals, improving overall brain control performance by more than 15%.

Furthermore, the researchers reduced the delay from signal receipt to command execution to less than 100 milliseconds – below the physiological latency threshold – providing patients with smoother and more natural control of the BCI system. -0-

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source. It represents an accurate account of the source's assertions and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

The US, Egypt, Qatar, and Türkiye support the establishment of a transitional administration in Gaza, according to the US President's special envoy.

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Source: People's Republic of China – State Council News

Washington, December 20 (Xinhua) — Representatives of the United States, Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey supported the establishment and imminent launch of a Peace Council to serve as a transitional authority in Gaza, US Special Presidential Envoy Steven Witkoff announced on Saturday.

As he wrote on the social media platform X, on Friday, representatives of the four countries discussed the implementation of the first phase of the ceasefire agreement in Gaza during talks in Miami, Florida. Consultations will continue in the coming weeks with the goal of moving to the second phase.

"Progress has been made in the first phase, including increased humanitarian aid, the return of hostage bodies, a partial withdrawal of troops, and a reduction in hostilities," said Whitkoff.

“During our Phase II discussions, we emphasized the need to establish a governing body in Gaza, operating under the auspices of a unified authority, to protect civilians and maintain public order,” he said.

The four countries also called on all parties to fulfil their obligations, exercise restraint and cooperate with monitoring mechanisms, he said.

Despite a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas taking effect in October, the former continued to strike Gaza, killing more than 380 people and injuring more than 1,000, Gaza health authorities said last week.

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source. It represents an accurate account of the source's assertions and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

Egypt and Russia promised to strengthen strategic cooperation

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Source: People's Republic of China – State Council News

Cairo, Dec. 21 (Xinhua) — Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov met here on Saturday, stressing their shared commitment to strengthening strategic cooperation between the two countries.

According to a statement released by the Egyptian President's Office, A.F. el-Sisi expressed appreciation for the steady growth of bilateral relations in the political, economic and trade spheres.

He stressed the importance of advancing key joint projects, including the Russian industrial zone in the Suez Canal Economic Zone and the El Dabaa nuclear power plant, the statement said.

In turn, S. Lavrov confirmed Russia's commitment to developing the agreements reached during A.F. el-Sisi's visit to Russia in May, with the aim of expanding the prospects for bilateral relations, the statement added.

The parties also discussed the second ministerial conference of the Russia-Africa Partnership Forum, held on Saturday in Cairo. They view it as an important platform for deepening partnership and economic cooperation.

Regional and global issues of mutual interest were also discussed, including the situation in Gaza, Sudan and Libya, the statement said.

Both sides emphasized the urgent need to end the war in Gaza, strengthen the ceasefire, and prevent further escalation in the region. Lavrov praised Egypt's role in maintaining regional stability, the statement said.

The Russian-Ukrainian conflict was also touched upon during the meeting, and, according to the statement, A.F. el-Sisi confirmed Egypt's support for political decisions. –0–

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source. It represents an accurate account of the source's assertions and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

Annual oil and gas production at China's largest offshore oil fields has exceeded 40 million tons.

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Source: People's Republic of China – State Council News

BEIJING, Dec. 21 (Xinhua) — China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) announced Sunday that the cumulative energy output of the Bohai Oilfields, China's largest offshore crude oil production base, will exceed 40 million tonnes of oil and gas equivalent in 2025, hitting a new historical high and providing a strong guarantee for the country's energy security and high-quality socio-economic development.

The Bohai oilfields are China's largest and most productive offshore oil field, currently comprising over 60 operating oil and gas fields and over 200 production facilities, with a combined crude oil production volume exceeding 600 million tonnes. Over the past five years, the average annual growth in oil and gas production here has been 5 percent, while the increase in crude oil production has accounted for nearly 40 percent of the country's overall growth in this area.

Officials from CNOOC's Tianjin branch said that the construction of production facilities in the Bohai Oilfields was comprehensively accelerated in 2025, and well drilling activity during this year reached a new historical high, effectively promoting the rapid completion and commissioning of a number of key projects, including oil fields with proven reserves of 100 million tons, including Kengli 10-2 and Bozhong 26-6.

Along with the extensive efforts to expand the production capacity of new oil fields, annual crude oil production from the old fields of the Bohai Oil Fields will exceed 32 million tons in 2025, stabilizing the “baseline” of production.

The Bohai Oilfields are rapidly advancing digital and intelligent transformation, as well as green and low-carbon development. A major breakthrough has been achieved in the localization of key equipment, and the first localized shallow-water subsea production system has been successfully commissioned. The Qinhuangdao 32-6 intelligent oilfield is expanding the capabilities of traditional oil and gas production through technologies such as drone technology and coordinated production and operations. Furthermore, the project to connect the offshore oil field cluster to onshore power has been fully completed: over 80 percent of the oil fields are now connected to onshore power.

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source. It represents an accurate account of the source's assertions and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.