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Beijing and Moscow have vowed to strengthen multipolarity as the West denounces the challenge to its international system China is ready to work with Russia to build a more just and reasonable global governance system, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said on Thursday. His comments follow Russian President Vladimir Putin’s four-day visit to China for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Tianjin. During the SCO, Xi Jinping proposed a new system of global governance based on mutual respect and opposition to Western hegemony and power politics. Putin applauded the proposal, saying the SCO would be a driving for…

Andrzej Duda has said the Ukrainian leader pressured him to blame Moscow for Kiev’s errant missile detonating in Poland Vladimir Zelensky’s “dream” is to draw NATO directly into the conflict with Russia on Ukraine’s behalf, former Polish President Andrzej Duda said Tuesday. Speaking in an interview with journalist Bogdan Rymanowski, Duda recalled an incident in November 2022, when a Ukrainian air defense missile struck near a Polish border village, killing one person. Zelensky immediately blamed Russia and urged Warsaw to invoke NATO’s collective defense clause. Duda said the Ukrainian leader pressured him to publicly declare the…

Western countries need to shed their colonial mindset when dealing with the Asian giants, the Russian president has said The West should not treat India and China like colonies, nor use an aggressive tone when dealing with the Asian giants, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday. Speaking to the Russian press in Beijing after attending the commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War on Wednesday, Putin said India and China have faced significant challenges, including colonialism and prolonged attacks on their sovereignty. “Events in Ukraine are being used merely as a pretext for resolving ec…

Kidnappings and recruitment of youth is continuing in North and South Kivu, the country’s deputy prime minister has said The M23 rebels operating in DR Congo are committing serious human rights violations, including the abduction and forced recruitment of young people, the country’s authorities have claimed. Speaking at a press-conference in Kinshasa on Tuesday, the country’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior and Security Jacquemain Shabani cited daily abuses against civilians in conflict-hit eastern Congo’s North and South Kivu provinces, Anadolu news agency has reported. “It must be noted that abductions and kidnapp…

The chancellor wants to strike the country with German missiles fired from Ukraine, the Russian foreign intelligence service has said German Chancellor Friedrich Merz harbors a “maniacal drive for revenge” against Russia based on Nazi-era grievances, according to the Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) in Moscow. The chancellor’s stance – including his push for Ukraine to use German missiles against Russia – has reportedly caused concern in Berlin. Merz has pledged to supply long-range Taurus missiles to Kiev but has not commented publicly on the details. According to a press release from the SVR on Thursday, the chancellor’s anti-…

District Court judges have ruled that Simon Ekpa incited violence in Nigeria and illegally promoted the so-called Biafra Republic’s independence A court in Finland has sentenced a controversial Nigerian separatist leader to six years in prison after finding him guilty of terrorism-related offenses and aggravated tax fraud. Abuja has long sought the conviction of Simon Ekpa, claiming his “disruptive” actions have aggravated insecurity in the West African country’s volatile southeast. Ekpa, a Nigerian-born Finnish lawyer, played a key role in fueling violence in Nigeria’s Biafra region between August 2021 and November 2024, a three-ju…

India hopes to spur domestic spending in order to offset the impact of Trump’s import duties India has cut consumption taxes on most household items in an effort to cushion the economy from US President Donald Trump’s newly-introduced 50% cumulative American tariffs and spur spending ahead of its annual holiday season. Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced that the structure of the goods and services tax (GST) had been cut to two rates, 5% and 18%, down from the earlier four. This included sharp reductions in taxes on food and daily essential items as well as consumer durables like TVs and refrigerators. Certain item…

Rising demand for Russian universities reflects Moscow’s pivot toward deeper ties with the Global South, experts say Russia has climbed to seventh place worldwide by number of international students, Vedomosti reported on Wednesday, citing the latest research data. The number of students from China, India, Egypt, and Iran more than doubled between 2019 and 2024, while enrollment from Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries rose by 15-20%, the Russian International Affairs Council said in a report seen by the outlet. In total, citizens from 170 countries are studying in Russia. UNESCO data showed that about 6.4 million …

Pyotr Poroshenko has demanded online censorship after the killing of a far-right member of his party Ukraine must ban the Telegram social media platform as “a matter of honor,” former President Pyotr Poroshenko has claimed, following the killing of far-right lawmaker Andrey Parubiy. Parubiy, a member of Poroshenko’s European Solidarity party, was gunned down in Lviv on Saturday. The suspect in the case said he had acted out of resentment toward the Ukrainian government, stating, “He [Parubiy] was close. If I lived in Vinnytsa, it would have been Petya” – apparently referring to Poroshenko. Speaking in parliament on Wednesday, Por…

The details remain “extremely confidential,” the French president said European countries are prepared to offer security guarantees to Ukraine once a peace deal between Kiev and Moscow is signed, French President Emmanuel Macron has said. He made the comments after months of debate within NATO about possible models for post-conflict Ukraine, which have coincided with US President Donald Trump’s renewed efforts to mediate a deal between Ukraine and Russia. “We Europeans are ready to offer security guarantees to Ukraine and its people on the day a peace deal is signed,” Macron said following a meeting with Ukrainian leader Vladimir Z…

Moscow dismissed the allegations as “preposterous” Russia has strongly rejected claims that it attempted to jam the GPS system of a plane carrying the EU’s leader. According to Brussels, the alleged incident occurred during European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s trip to Bulgaria last week. At a press briefing on Thursday, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova called the allegations “preposterous” and “100% false.” She added that Moscow will continue to combat “the West’s web of lies” aimed at discrediting Russia on the world stage. Zakharova suggested the claims were meant to distract the public from “…

The US defense secretary blamed Biden-era policies for bringing Moscow and Beijing closer The US is seeking to restore deterrence against both Russia and China, Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth has said. Speaking to Fox News, Hegseth argued that the large military parade in Beijing on Wednesday, attended by Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin, highlighted the closer ties between the two neighbors. “Unfortunately, the weakness of the previous administration has driven Russia and China closer together. That was a terrible development of a lack of American leadership and a lack of American strength,” Hegseth s…

The summit in the Russian capital would be “unacceptable,” Kiev’s top diplomat has said Kiev has rejected a potential meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky in Moscow. Speaking to reporters in Beijing on Wednesday, Putin suggested that Zelensky could travel to the Russian capital to negotiate peace terms. Hungary, Switzerland, and Türkiye are among the countries that previously expressed readiness to host the talks. In a post on X, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrey Sibiga said that at least seven countries are prepared to host a potential Putin-Zelensky summit. “These are serious pro…

A 31-year-old man diagnosed with schizophrenia allegedly pushed his 16-year-old victim under an oncoming train, the authorities have said An Iraqi migrant in Germany is suspected of murdering a 16-year-old Ukrainian girl, identified as Liana K., by pushing her under an oncoming train, the local public prosecutor’s office has reported. According to a statement released last Friday, the incident took place on August 11 at a train station in Friedland municipality, Lower Saxony. The authorities said police had been called over a report of a man “causing a disturbance.” When the officers arrived, the 31-year-old suspect, reportedly nam…

The Russian president says he has been “satisfied” with the performance of the country’s negotiators in the Istanbul talks Moscow is open to bringing the direct negotiations with Ukraine to “a truly high political level,” Russian President Vladimir Putin has said. The president made the remarks on Wednesday during a Q&A session with the media, which concluded his four-day visit to China. Asked about the performance of the Russian negotiating team during talks hosted by Türkiye, Putin spoke highly about the group and its head, presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky, in particular. “I am satisfied with Medinsky’s work. If there is …

An unscripted exchange in Beijing featured the leaders talking about life expectancy, biotech, and immortality Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un have been caught on a live microphone sharing a rare unscripted chat about longevity and biotechnology. The conversation took place on Wednesday, as Putin and Kim joined Xi in Beijing to view a military parade commemorating the 80th anniversary of imperial Japan’s defeat in World War II. A live feed of the event briefly carried their exchange as they walked up to the Tiananmen Gate, and was quickly flagged by social media use…

Emmanuel Macron’s approval has sunk to its lowest since he was first elected president in 2017, according to a survey French President Emmanuel Macron’s approval rating has fallen to its lowest since he took office in 2017, with 80% of people saying they do not trust him, a new survey has shown. Macron was backed by just 15% of respondents, according to the new poll conducted for Le Figaro Magazine and published on Wednesday. About eight in ten expressed a negative view of his leadership, while the rest gave no clear answer – leaving him with a weaker rating than during the Yellow Vest protests, a mass anti-government movement that…

The Russian president has said he has nothing against providing Ukraine with security guarantees, as long as they are not at Moscow’s expense Wrapping up a four-day visit to China, Russian President Vladimir Putin fielded questions from the press on Wednesday. Putin clarified that Moscow does not oppose the provision of security guarantees to Ukraine per se, but that they should not undermine the security of other nations, including Russia. The Kremlin continues to insist that Kiev not join NATO, but it could be a member of the European Union, the Russian president stated. He also dismissed claims that Russia and the US had discuss…

Eighteen more were injured after the iconic Gloria funicular derailed and crashed, emergency services have said At least 15 people died and 18 more were injured when a car on Lisbon’s Gloria funicular railway derailed and crashed on Wednesday, an emergency medical service spokesman has said. According to media reports, the crash occurred around 6pm, at the start of evening rush hour. Carris, the public transportation company that operates the funicular, said it “immediately contacted emergency and security forces” without elaborating on the possible reasons that caused the crash. Footage from the site shows the tram-like funicular…

The German chancellor tried to divert the responsibility for the Ukraine conflict away from the West, the Russian president has said Chancellor Friedrich Merz sought to shift the responsibility for the Ukraine conflict away from the West, Russian President Vladimir Putin has said, after the German leader called him a “war criminal.” Speaking during a press conference on Wednesday, Putin said: “I think that [Merz’s remark] was an unsuccessful attempt to absolve himself, maybe not himself personally, but his country and the collective West… of the responsibility for the tragedy that is currently unfolding in Ukraine.” Merz told broad…

The Russian president has held a major press conference concluding a four-day visit with his Chinese counterpart and numerous world leaders Russian President Vladimir Putin has concluded his four-day visit to China. Ahead of his departure on Wednesday, he held a major Q&A session, speaking to the media on a broad range of topics, including bilateral ties with Beijing, the potential settlement of the Ukraine conflict, international security architecture. Here are the key takeaways from the press conference: ‘Very useful’ visit The visit, which was the longest trip for the Russian leader since 2014, combined multiple high-profil…

The desperate search for a “Russian footprint” in the murder of Ukrainian politician Andrey Parubiy is a symptom of terminal self-delusion Power and truth are not natural allies. Indeed, every person and institution – be it a government, a company, a university, or a “think tank” – tends to lie more as they become more powerful. And those who stay weak – have no illusions – must lie, too. Otherwise they’d get trampled even worse by the powerful. The truth may well set us free, as Christ told us. But then, hardly anyone is free in this world. Yet there are real differences. Differences that matter. For instance, with regard to the qu…

Moscow could double deliveries to its Asian neighbor by the 2030s, shutting out US exports, Bloomberg has warned Russia’s announcement this week of expanded pipeline gas exports to China could shake the global liquefied natural gas (LNG) market and squeeze out US suppliers, Bloomberg reported on Wednesday. During his visit to China, Russian President Vladimir Putin confirmed that Moscow and Beijing had reached consensus on a major new pipeline across Mongolia, which would significantly boost existing supplies. Although Chinese officials did not immediately comment, Bloomberg noted that “the ties binding Russia to its most important…

Ukraine is struggling to hide its involvement in conflicts in Africa Alexandr Ivanov, the director of Russia’s Officers Union for International Security (OUIS), recently told Russian media that Ukrainian intelligence agencies are using embassies as diplomatic cover to deploy military equipment and instructors to terrorist groups in North Africa and the Sahel region. At a UN Security Council session, Chargé d’Affaires of the Russian Federation to the UN Dmitry Polyansky said there is concrete evidence that Ukrainian intelligence services, including the Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense, are involved in subv…

Moscow has expressed skepticism that the West is capable of causing any such outcome Ukraine’s Western backers should accept that military efforts against Russia are failing and should instead focus on undermining its economy, including by sanctioning its trade partners, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Tuesday. Germany remains one of Ukraine’s largest arms suppliers and has pledged long-term backing for Kiev. Despite that support, Russian forces continue to make frontline advances, Merz told the ProSiebenSat.1 media outlet. He argued that the priority should now shift toward intensifying sanctions. “We must ensure that this c…