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THE NETHERLANDS

Dutch railways mounted lasers onto commuter trains in a pilot test this winter to detect and then obliterate leaves on the tracks, which can trigger anticollision software and cause delays.

RUSSIA

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The government will submit a proposal to the United Nations this spring claiming a large section of the continental shelf in the Arctic Ocean. Denmark claimed a part of the Arctic, including the North Pole, in December.

JAPAN

The Muscle Suit exoskeleton went on sale for about $5,000. Marketed to factory workers and nurses, it enables wearers to lift heavy loads with a third of the typical effort.

CHINA

Sony’s PlayStation 4 appeared in stores as of January, joining Xbox One, which did so in September, after a 14-year ban on the sale of personal game consoles was lifted. The content of video games, however, is still subject to government approval.

GERMANY

The corporation ThyssenKrupp has started erecting a nearly 800- foot tower in Rottweil to showcase a prototype elevator that moves both vertically and horizontally. Maglev will propel the cars, which are set to begin operation in 2016.

U.S.

U.S. Army officials announced they will build an airport for drones at Fort Bliss in Texas. The unmanned aerial vehicles will get two runways and a 50,000-square-foot hangar—all planned for completion by April 2016.

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