Flagship

Russian general killed in Moscow

The head of the Russian military’s chemical weapons unit was killed in Moscow in a bombing attributed to Kyiv. Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov is the most senior Russian official killed in the country’s capital since Moscow launched its 2022 invasion of Ukraine, and had been blamed by Kyiv for the “mass use” of chemical weapons during the conflict. The Kyiv Independent, the BBC, and AFP all cited Ukrainian sources to say the country was behind the attack that killed Kirillov. The Ukraine war has markedly intensified in recent weeks, which analysts attribute to the two sides seeking bargaining chips ahead of widely expected peace talks following US President-elect Donald Trump’s accession to office.

Calls to lift Syria sanctions

Syria’s de facto leader called for sanctions against his country to be lifted and for international help in rebuilding a society battered by years of war and dictatorship. Speaking to foreign journalists in Damascus, he outlined a desire to refashion Syria’s institutions, but warned that problems “won’t be solved with a magic wand.” The rebels who overthrew Bashar al-Assad have worked to present an image of order and insisted that, despite their Islamist history, they want to preserve a pluralistic society. That has so far been received positively, with The New York Times describing “a parade of officials” from around the world reopening embassies or meeting with rebel leaders, many of whom are still designated terrorists by major powers.

Rare bad news for Trump

US President-elect Donald Trump’s effort to have a criminal conviction thrown out was rejected. In May, Trump was convicted of falsifying business records to hide a hush-money payment to an adult film star. His lawyers argued that some of the evidence was inadmissible due to presidential immunity, but a judge rejected the claim. The ruling is a rare piece of bad news for Trump, who is “basking in the thrill of victory,” a CNN reporter wrote. Most of his cabinet picks are likely to be approved, and world leaders are vying for his good graces. But things may become more difficult as he has to honor promises to bring down prices, control immigration, and end Russia’s war in Ukraine.

Argentina’s good economic news

New data showed Argentina escaped recession in the third quarter. The country had long been grappling with skyrocketing inflation as well as slow — at times negative — economic growth. President Javier Milei has sought to address those two trends through brutal austerity, measures that pushed poverty rates above 50% but that appear to be working: The economy expanded 3.9% in the third quarter compared to the prior three-month period, and wage growth is now higher than inflation. Analysts at the Spanish bank BBVA warned that risks remain. Milei could yet lose the support of his voters or the markets, and Argentina’s key agriculture industry could underperform. Still, they projected strong economic growth next year and beyond.

Japan ups renewables target

Japan unveiled plans to make renewable energy the country’s top power source by 2040. Tokyo has been a laggard by rich-country standards when it comes to decarbonizing its energy system: Wind and solar account for just 12% of the country’s electricity generation, compared to 27% in the European Union, according to the think tank Ember, and Japan still depends on coal for 32% of its power, almost double the OECD average. The new targets are part of efforts to meet Tokyo’s net-zero goals, as well as a bid to reduce its vulnerability to geopolitical uncertainty. Last year, 70% of Japan’s power was reliant on fossil fuels, nearly all of which were imported.

Europe’s high-speed rail expands

The first high-speed rail service between Paris and Berlin launched. The train left Gare de l’Est on Monday morning and arrived on time eight hours later at Berlin Hauptbahnhof. The opening marks good news for Germany’s embattled rail provider, which has developed a distinctly un-Teutonic reputation for unreliability after years of underinvestment. It’s also part of a wider European move to create rail services between major cities that can rival air travel for convenience and, hopefully, price. As it stands, flying is almost always cheaper. But governments are working to change that: France banned short-haul flights where there is a suitable rail alternative, and Spain is considering a similar move.

EU wants to rival Starlink

The European Union will back a constellation of internet-providing satellites to rival SpaceX’s Starlink. The 290 satellites will offer services for EU governments, as well as private companies and citizens, The Verge reported. They will provide high-speed connections for current dead zones, and come online by 2030. The network, intended as competition for Starlink, has some way to go. There are already nearly 7,000 of the Elon Musk-owned satellites in low-Earth orbit, and while expensive compared to fiber broadband, Starlink offers the best option for “rural areas or people who need a connection while on the go,” CNET reported. Presumably that service will be both better and cheaper by the time its would-be European rival starts working.

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New video-generating AI

Google DeepMind unveiled a video-generation model to rival OpenAI’s Sora. Veo 2, like Sora, can create near-photorealistic videos from prompts, and according to its creators has much-improved physics and sharper resolutions. It’s one of several major recent AI releases: DeepMind itself put out Genie 2, which can create playable 3D worlds — essentially video games — last week, while Sora became available to ChatGPT subscribers in the US. The ability to easily create realistic videos worries some people: One tech journalist said in The Guardian that she felt “less amazed than sad” at the technological feats, concerned that they will lead to deepfakes and scams.

China eases tourism barriers

China expanded visa-free access for international visitors, part of efforts to bolster tourism and strengthen a moribund economy. Nationals of more than 50 countries — including Australia, Japan, the US, and UK — were previously able to transit through China visa-free for between three and six days, but that has now been increased to 10: The system was described by CNN as a “popular hack” for tourists dissuaded by the country’s standard visa requirements. Beijing has in recent months hugely liberalized its entry requirements, which were extremely restrictive during the COVID-19 pandemic, with the new policies helping drive international tourist numbers to record highs.

African footballers honored

Ademola Lookman and Barbra Banda were named the African soccer players of the year. Nigeria’s Lookman took the men’s prize after helping his team, Atalanta, to a record-breaking season and a first European trophy, scoring three goals in the final. Banda is the first Zambian to win the women’s trophy, having carried Orlando Pride to the NWSL title and scored four goals at the Olympics. It’s been a good couple of years for both African and women’s football: This year’s Africa Cup of Nations was watched globally by a record 1.4 billion TV viewers, while the top 15 women’s teams in Europe saw average revenues rise by 61% as interest and viewership rose.

• The US Federal Reserve begins its two-day rate-setting meeting.
• Nigerian President Bola Tinubu will present the 2025 budget to the National Assembly.
• First round matches are underway at the Paddy Power World Darts Championship in London.

The weight of oil, in metric tons, carried by two Russian tankers that sank in a storm on Sunday. The resulting massive oil spill revealed the dangers of the “shadow fleet” of aging, often uninsured ships which Moscow uses to evade Western sanctions. The European Union this week agreed new rules for tankers carrying Russian oil, forcing them to prove they have adequate accident insurance and imposing restrictions on those that do not, in order to close loopholes exploited by the fleet.

Zeit Verbrechen. The anthology series — based on stories covered by a Die Zeit true crime podcast — is “ambivalent and opaque,” a Der Speigel reviewer wrote: It offers a “stylistic courage that manages to capture a corner of Germany.” Watch Zeit Verbrechen on RTL+ or on Paramount+.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s antipathy toward industrial agriculture and his stance on abortion concern Senate Republicans more than his anti-vaccine comments, Semafor’s Burgess Everett and Shelby Talcott reported. After Matt Gaetz, the risk of fallout from another Trump pick failing could make “GOP senators think hard about whether they want the headache that comes with opposing Trump’s nominees,” Everett and Talcott wrote.