Briefly

DPRK

Fifth plenary session of WPK convenes

The ruling Workers' Party of Korea in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea opened the fifth plenary session of its central committee on Saturday, the Korean Central News Agency reported. The session was intended to lay out a new "transparent anti-imperialist independent stand" for the country in the face of stalled talks with the United States, the news agency said. The meeting was held "in order to overcome the manifold and harsh trials and difficulties and further accelerate the development of the revolution with a transparent anti-imperialist independent stand and firm will", the report said.

AUSTRALIA

Fireworks display to go ahead despite protest

A petition to cancel Sydney's famous New Year's Eve fireworks and use the money to fight bushfires ringing the city has topped 260,000 signatures, but officials say the show will go on. Sydney is spending A$6.5 million ($4.5 million) on this year's fireworks display－funds that the Change.org petition argues would be better spent on supporting volunteer firefighters and farmers suffering through a brutal monthslong drought. The massive fireworks display "may traumatize some people", the petition says.