Hong Kong Residential Complex Fire Relief Fund Amounts to HK$4 Billion — Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Administration

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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

HONG KONG, Dec. 20 (Xinhua) — The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government's relief fund for victims of the Hongfuyuan residential complex fire in Dabu County, Taipo, has reached about 4 billion Hong Kong dollars (about 514 million U.S. dollars) as of Saturday.

According to the administration, the fund's resources will be used to help residents restore their homes and provide long-term, sustainable support.

As of the morning of December 20, 581 residents were housed in hotel rooms under the coordination of the Civil Affairs and Youth Affairs Office, while another 559 were in youth hostels or barrack-type buildings. Another 3,513 residents are currently living in temporary housing provided by the Housing Administration, buildings from the Hong Kong Housing Society, or a temporary housing facility in Tunmen County.

According to the SAR administration, the death toll from the massive fire at the Hongfuyuan residential complex has reached 161 people, and authorities are continuing the process of identifying all the victims through DNA testing.

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.

Three security personnel were killed in a blast in northwest Pakistan.

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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

Islamabad, December 20 (Xinhua) — At least three security personnel were killed and three others wounded in a bomb attack on a security force vehicle in Khyber District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province in northwestern Pakistan, local police said on Saturday.

According to law enforcement agencies, a vehicle carrying security personnel was traveling through the Barkambarkhel area when a remote-controlled explosive device was detonated.

Police said the explosion was caused by a homemade explosive device.

The explosion also damaged nearby vehicles and caused panic in the area. The department added that security personnel were targeted in the attack.

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 bodies of another 1,003 victims have been returned to Ukraine.

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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

Kyiv, December 20 (Xinhua) — On Friday, another 1,003 bodies, which Russia claims belong to Ukrainian servicemen, were handed over to Ukraine. The Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War of Ukraine announced this on Telegram.

Identification of the remains will be carried out by law enforcement agencies in conjunction with expert institutions of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine.

The Coordination Headquarters thanked the International Committee of the Red Cross for its assistance in repatriating the bodies.

Since the beginning of the Russian-Ukrainian armed conflict, Kyiv and Moscow have regularly exchanged the remains of the dead. –0–

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The All-China Working Conference on Training Personnel in the Cultural Sphere was held in Beijing.

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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

BEIJING, Dec. 20 (Xinhua) — A national working conference on training cultural personnel was held in Beijing on Saturday.

Li Shulei, a member of the Politburo of the CPC Central Committee and head of the Propaganda Department of the CPC Central Committee, attended the meeting and delivered a speech.

Those present emphasized the need to develop a large, well-structured contingent of highly qualified, dedicated and innovative personnel in the cultural sphere in accordance with the decisions taken by the party leadership in October at the 4th Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee.

Participants also called for strengthened strategic planning and the implementation of new measures to cultivate more leading figures, local specialists, and young creators in this field. Particular attention was paid to the importance of training specialists in emerging fields, including innovative forms of accessible literature and art, as well as cultural technologies.

An awards ceremony was also held for organizations and individuals who have distinguished themselves within the country's propaganda system.

The meeting was chaired by Tie Ning, Vice Chair of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, and the award decisions were announced by Shen Yiqin, State Councilor. Officials from central government agencies, propaganda and cultural institutions, and universities, as well as the award winners, participated in the event.

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The world's first power plant using supercritical carbon dioxide has entered commercial operation in China.

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

GUIYANG, Dec. 20 (Xinhua) — The world's first supercritical carbon dioxide power plant began commercial operation in southwest China's Guizhou Province on Saturday.

The project was developed by the China Institute of Atomic Energy, a subsidiary of China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC). This unique power unit is located at the Shougang Shuicheng Iron and Steel Works in Liupanshui, Guizhou Province.

The Chaotan One project, also known as the Chaotan One demonstration project, uses supercritical carbon dioxide and waste heat from agglomeration to generate electricity. Each unit has a capacity of 15 MW.

"Supercritical carbon dioxide power generation technologies are characterized by high efficiency, system compactness, fewer auxiliary systems, and faster response speed," said Huang Yanping, research director of CNNC and general designer of the Chaotan One project.

He added that the commissioning of this project is a milestone, marking the world's first transition of these technologies into commercial operation.

INNOVATIVE ENERGY TECHNOLOGY

According to Huang Yanping, the principle of generating electricity using thermal, nuclear, or various forms of steam energy derived from waste heat essentially involves heating water to steam and driving turbines. In this sense, generating electricity using supercritical carbon dioxide is rightfully considered an innovative thermoelectric conversion technology.

As the scientist explained, carbon dioxide, as the working fluid in the power plant cycle, enters a supercritical state when the operating pressure is 73 times greater than atmospheric pressure at temperatures above 31 degrees Celsius. In this state, its density increases, while its viscosity remains relatively low, resulting in lower flow resistance.

The Chaotan One project achieved 85 percent higher power generation efficiency than steam-powered power generation technologies.

According to the data, the Chaotan One power unit is capable of generating more than 70 million kWh of electricity per year, which will bring in a profit of 30 million yuan / about 4.26 million US dollars.

HUGE POTENTIAL

In 2009, the China Institute of Atomic Energy began developing a technology for generating electricity using supercritical carbon dioxide. Construction of the Chaotan One project began in 2023.

The project is said to have the potential to make a significant contribution to the country's dual-carbon targets by efficiently converting industrial waste heat into energy.

Huang Yanping said the new technology will help overcome technical difficulties associated with the efficient use of medium- and small-scale energy sources, as well as medium- and high-temperature heat sources worldwide.

In 2024, CNNC launched a demonstration project that combined molten salt energy storage and supercritical carbon dioxide power generation technologies.

Supercritical carbon dioxide power generation technology will eventually be integrated with multiple heat sources to form power generation systems, expanding its application in photovoltaic energy, waste heat recovery, energy storage and other fields, Huang Yanping concluded. -0-

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The government will allocate more than 1.1 billion rubles to continue construction of wastewater treatment facilities in Gelendzhik.

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Source: Government of the Russian Federation – Government of the Russian Federation –

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Document

Order No. 3869-r of December 18, 2025

In the Krasnodar Krai, the project to build a wastewater treatment facility in Gelendzhik continues. Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin signed an order allocating over 1.1 billion rubles to the region for this purpose in 2025.

New engineering systems will treat 50,000 cubic meters of wastewater from residential buildings and businesses in the city daily. The project will significantly improve living conditions for residents and tourists.

To date, all 48 kilometers of sewer collectors have been upgraded. Construction of the Tonkiy Mys wastewater treatment plant and eight sewage pumping stations is nearing completion.

Federal funding is necessary to fulfill the obligations assumed under the concession agreement for the construction of these facilities. From 2018 to 2024, a total of over 8.8 billion rubles were allocated from the federal budget for this purpose.

Comment

From Mikhail Mishustin's opening remarks at the Government meeting, December 18, 2025

“We will continue to do everything necessary to develop the regions, implement large-scale projects to improve not only large cities, but also small towns, and improve the quality of life for people across the country,” Mikhail Mishustin noted, speaking about the decision taken atGovernment meeting on December 18.

A series of measures to develop water supply and sanitation systems in the Krasnodar Krai are being implemented at the direction of the President. The work is being carried out as part of the state program "Providing Affordable and Comfortable Housing and Utilities to Citizens of the Russian Federation."

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Vitaly Savelyev's working visit to the Islamic Republic of Iran.

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Source: Government of the Russian Federation – Government of the Russian Federation –

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Vitaly Savelyev, Deputy Prime Minister and Special Presidential Representative for the Development of the North-South International Transport Corridor, visited Iran. During the visit, he held talks with Ali Larijani, Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

A representative Russian delegation discussed a wide range of issues related to economic cooperation between the two countries with their Iranian counterparts. The focus was on cooperation in transportation and the development of the North-South International Transport Corridor (INSTC), a key area of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Agreement.

Vitaly Savelyev noted the growth of rail container transit from Russia via Iran and the successful operation of a regular container service launched in 2022 along the eastern route of the North-South International Transport Corridor.

The implementation of the intergovernmental cooperation agreement signed in 2023 on the financing and construction of the Rasht-Astara railway in the Islamic Republic of Iran was discussed in detail.

Vitaly Savelyev invited the Iranian delegation to participate in the International Transport and Logistics Forum in St. Petersburg in 2026.

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 government will allocate more than 5.2 billion rubles for road construction and repair in the regions.

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Source: Government of the Russian Federation – Government of the Russian Federation –

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Document

Order No. 3877-r of December 19, 2025

Financing the development of road infrastructure in the regions remains a government priority. By the end of 2025, several regions will receive additional funds for road construction, repair, and rehabilitation. An order reallocating over 5.2 billion rubles for these purposes has been signed.

Transfers from the road fund will be sent to the Nizhny Novgorod, Smolensk, Omsk, Orenburg, and Kaliningrad regions, as well as to Khabarovsk Krai.

Comment

From Mikhail Mishustin's opening remarks at the Government meeting, December 18, 2025

Commenting on the decision takenGovernment meeting on December 18Mikhail Mishustin noted that the allocated funds will be used to build several road sections in the Kaliningrad Region. In the Khabarovsk Region, they will be used to build a road to the automobile border crossing point being built on Bolshoy Ussuriysky Island. In the Omsk Region, they will be used to build a northern bypass around Omsk. This highway, including interchanges and bridges, will be approximately 70 km long. This project, once completed, will not only significantly relieve congestion on the city's main thoroughfares but also integrate the Omsk Region into international transport corridors.

In addition, several sections of roads and related infrastructure in the Nizhny Novgorod and Smolensk regions will be brought up to standard using federal funding. In the Orenburg region, funds will be used to restore roads damaged by the 2024 flood.

"A reliable road network is key to the sustainable development of regions," Mikhail Mishustin emphasized.

The work is being carried out within the framework of the state program "Development of the Transport System" and the national project "Infrastructure for Life."

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The government has set a rice export quota for 2026.

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Source: Government of the Russian Federation – Government of the Russian Federation –

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Document

Resolution of December 19, 2025 No. 2076

From January 1 to December 31, 2026, Russia will impose a quota on the export of paddy rice outside the Eurasian Economic Union. A resolution to this effect has been signed.

The quota will be 200,000 tons per year. Within the quota, the export duty will be zero; outside the quota, it will be 50% of the customs value of the product.

The decision was approved by the Subcommittee on Customs, Tariff, and Non-Tariff Regulation, and Protective Measures in Foreign Trade of the Government Commission on Economic Development and Integration. It will stimulate the further development of rice farming in Russia and help develop new foreign consumer markets.

A temporary ban on the export of paddy rice is in effect in Russia from July 1, 2022, to December 31, 2025. There is currently no need to extend the ban, as production volumes fully meet the domestic market's needs for this product.

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Six people died in a major road accident in Russia's Omsk region.

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

Moscow, December 20 /Xinhua/ — Six people were killed when a truck drove into oncoming traffic in Russia's Omsk region, TASS reported on Saturday, citing the regional police department's press service.

According to preliminary reports, the truck driver crossed into oncoming traffic and hit a bus. The bus then collided with a Toyota, two KamAZ trucks, and a Volvo. Six people were killed and eight injured in the accident.

According to police, the driver of the passenger bus died from his injuries in the ambulance, five of his passengers died at the scene before the ambulance arrived, one person was hospitalized, five were being transported to Omsk, and two injured people received medical assistance at the scene.

The accident occurred on Saturday at 9:15 a.m. Moscow time at kilometer 548 of the R-402 highway in the Lyubinsky District. Reversible traffic has been introduced on the Tyumen-Omsk federal highway where the six-vehicle accident caused a 10-kilometer traffic jam.

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