32: A construction crane fell onto a moving train in northeast Thailand on Wednesday morning, killing at least 32 people and injuring another 66. The train was mostly carrying students and workers. The incident occurred after the crane accidentally dropped a concrete wedge onto the train, causing it to derail.
12: Hungary’s opposition Tisza party expanded its lead over Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s Fidesz to 12 points, according to a Median poll, up from 10 points in a corresponding November survey. Orbán’s grip on power looks increasingly slippery ahead of the April election, as Peter Magyar’s opposition group continues to build momentum.
$1.2 trillion: China posted a record $1.2 trillion trade surplus in 2025, driven by booming exports to non-US markets after firms diversified away from the United States. Strong competitiveness and excess capacity offset weak domestic demand, but risk heightening trade tensions as China leans on exports to sustain growth.
350: French farmers drove 350 tractors to Parliament in Paris on Tuesday to protest the European Union’s trade deal with South America that they worry will jeopardize their livelihoods. The deal, expected to be signed this weekend, would create the largest free trade zone in the world.A new US regulatory framework sets clear rules for stablecoins, defining issuer responsibilities and laying the groundwork for consistent federal and state oversight. With guardrails in place, stablecoins are shifting from crypto experiment to payment infrastructure. Explore the stablecoin framework with Bank of America Institute.
In this special edition of Tools and Weapons, Microsoft Vice Chair and President Brad Smith sits down with Juan Lavista Ferres, Chief Data Scientist and Director of the AI for Good Lab, to unpack the most striking insights from Microsoft’s newly released AI Diffusion Report. Their conversation explores the growing reach of generative AI, the accelerating pace of technological progress, and what this moment means for societies and economies around the world. The discussion examines how generative AI is spreading globally, and why the speed of diffusion will determine who benefits most. Together, they highlight countries leading the charge, including the UAE, Singapore, and South Korea, and explore the rise of models such as China’s DeepSeek across parts of Africa, offering a clear-eyed look at how AI adoption is reshaping global power, opportunity, and impact. Subscribe and find new episodes of Tools and Weapons wherever you listen to podcasts.
Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro and Special Representative of the Chinese Government on Latin American Affairs Qiu Xiaoqi meet at the Miraflores Palace, in Caracas, Venezuela, on January 2, 2026.
Venezuela was supposed to repay its loans from China with oil. The US blockade on Venezuela’s crude industry means that Beijing won’t see any that oil it is owed – at least for the time being.