Foreign briefing

1.Guatemala

Archaeologists working in northern Guatemala found at El Peru-Waka an alabaster jar in a burial chamber that they think is the tomb of a woman who served as a military governor in the 7th century.

2.Russia

A woolly mammoth excavated in late September in Siberia’s permafrost is thought to have been about 16 years old. Scientists call him Jenya after the boy who found him near the Sopochnaya Karga cape.

3.Colombia

The State Department has issued a new warning for Colombia, noting that security has improved but warning visitors of violence from narco-trafficking that “continues to affect some rural areas and parts of large cities.”

4.Manila

Japan urged a peaceful resolution to island disputes involving China and several other countries, during a recent meeting of the Assn. of Southeast Asian Nations in Manila.

5.Luxembourg

New rule: Drivers who don’t have snow tires in Luxembourg face a possible $95 fine; Poland, Turkey and Belgium are considering following suit.

6.Kenya

Solar companies are offering “pay as you go” units to Kenyans to help power their homes. The units replace kerosene, which costs more per day and can cause health problems.

Sources: State Department, the Associated Press and Bloomberg