Xinhua world news summary at 0100 GMT, Jan. 5

Iraqi security forces on Wednesday advanced further to the city center of Mosul after they retook control of a new neighborhood from the Islamic State (IS) militants, as part of the troops push into the eastern part of the city, the Iraqi military said.

In southeastern part of the city, the federal police and soldiers of the 9th Armored Division fought fierce clashes with IS militants and recaptured Wahda neighborhood, bringing the troops closer to the center of the eastern side of Mosul, a statement by the Iraqi Joint Operations Command said. (Iraq-Mosul)

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WASHINGTON -- U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday quoted WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to voice new doubt about the findings by U.S. intelligence agencies that Russia has intervened in the 2016 presidential election.

"Julian Assange said 'a 14 year old could have hacked (John) Podesta' - why was DNC so careless? Also said Russians did not give him the info!" Trump said on Twitter, referring to the Democratic National Committee (DNC). (US-Russia-Hacking)

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BUCHAREST -- Romania's new cabinet headed by Social Democrat Sorin Grindeanu on Wednesday easily won the vote of confidence in the parliament controlled by the ruling coalition.

The coalition cabinet of the Social Democrat Party and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats was validated with 295 votes in favor and 133 against in a joint plenary session of the bicameral legislature, much more than the required half plus one of the total MPs. (Romania-Cabinet-Confidence Vote)

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LONDON -- Former British ambassador to Russia, Sir Tim Barrow, was confirmed on Wednesday night as Britain's new envoy to the European Union (EU).

He succeeds Sir Ivan Rogers who resigned 24 hours earlier from the key role in Brussels. (UK-EU-Brexit) Endi