The China Mail - Politics

'Loyal to the motherland': joining Russia's Youth Army

At the Stalingrad Battle Museum in Russia's southern city of Volgograd, dozens of teenagers stand in a circle, waiting to take oath as they join the patriotic Youth Army movement.

UK dismisses economic 'gloom', eyes Brexit boost

Britain's finance minister will dismiss "gloom" over the country's recession-threatened economy and vow to tap into Brexit opportunities to bolster growth in a key speech on Friday.

Asian markets extend rally on hopes US will avoid recession

Asian markets rose again Friday as fears about a possible recession in the US economy were soothed by data showing it grew more than expected in 2022, adding to the broadly upbeat tone across trading floors this year.

Teacher's home becomes school in destroyed Ukraine village

Teacher Oleksandr Pogoryelov occasionally strolls up the sloping road to the school in his village in the eastern Donetsk region of Ukraine where he taught for more than two decades.

Andrej Babis, billionaire ex-PM in Czech presidential run-off

Billionaire lawmaker and former premier Andrej Babis, who is trailing in opinion polls going into the Czech presidential run-off on Friday and Saturday, has been dogged by his communist past and controversial business dealings.

Petr Pavel, Czech war hero in presidential run-off

Retired general Petr Pavel, who leads in opinion polls going into the Czech presidential run-off on Friday and Saturday, is a war hero with a passion for motorcycles.

Joseph the Blind's healing balms for Turkey's troubled city

The Kurdish herbalist reaches for a sachet as fragrant as a wild meadow, garnished with linden, rosehip, slivers of dried ginger, cinnamon stick and a touch of mystery.

Ex-paratrooper set to sweep Czech president vote against former PM

Retired NATO general Petr Pavel looks a clear favourite to beat billionaire former prime minister Andrej Babis in the Czech presidential election run-off on Friday and Saturday.

In a first, German parliament spotlights Nazis' LGBTQ victims

The German parliament will for the first time on Friday focus its annual Holocaust memorial commemorations on people persecuted and killed for their sexual or gender identity.

Israel, Gaza militants trade missiles after deadly West Bank raid

Israel launched air strikes on Gaza Friday in response to militant rocket fire from the Palestinian enclave, as tensions rose following the deadliest army raid on the occupied West Bank in years.

Asian markets build on rally on hopes US will avoid recession

Asian markets rose again Friday as fears about a possible recession in the US economy were soothed by data showing it grew more than expected in 2022, adding to the broadly upbeat tone across trading floors this year.

All eyes on turnout as Tunisia votes again after boycott

Tunisians are to vote again on Sunday in elections for a parliament stripped of its powers, the final pillar of President Kais Saied's remake of politics in the birthplace of the Arab Spring.

Gandhi's killer a hero to India's diehard Hindu nationalists

Hindu fundamentalist Ashok Sharma has devoted his life to championing the deeds of an Indian "patriot": not revered independence hero Mahatma Gandhi, but the man who shot him dead.

Madison Square Garden's facial recognition blacklisting sparks outcry

The heated debate over facial recognition technology has a new flashpoint: Manhattan's celebrated Madison Square Garden, home to the New York Knicks basketball team and countless Billy Joel concerts.

Russian activist, 80, fights on despite crackdown

She is 80 years old, the Memorial rights group she co-founded has been shut down, and some of her colleagues have fled Russia fearing arrest under President Vladimir Putin.

Ukraine could boycott Paris Olympics if Russian athletes take part

Ukraine's sports minister warned on Thursday his country could boycott the 2024 Paris Olympics if Russian and Belarusian athletes are allowed to take part.

'Start over': Ukraine's Bakhmut evacuates as Russia claims to be nearing

Olena Morozova had endured months of bombardment in what has become the most gruelling battle of the war in Ukraine for the city of Bakhmut, but on Thursday, she said she had finally had enough.

Russian missiles kill 11 in Ukraine after tank pledge

A blistering wave of Russian strikes targeting Ukraine's energy infrastructure killed 11 people on Thursday, a day after Germany and the United States pledged heavy tanks for Kyiv.

'Be ready': UN refugee chief warns more will flee Ukraine fighting

With Russian forces pushing in eastern Ukraine, the UN's Refugee Agency chief told AFP Thursday that Kyiv and European governments should prepare for a possible wave of people fleeing the fighting.

In Spain, jihadist attacks a dormant but real threat

The deadly church attack in Algeciras has rekindled Spanish concerns about the jihadist threat, which experts say is still present although the country has been relatively spared from attacks in recent years.

EU dangles visa threat over countries refusing to take back migrants

EU interior ministers reached "consensus" Thursday to warn outside countries refusing to take back irregular migrants they risked tighter visa restrictions to Europe, Sweden's migration minister said.

US targets Chinese firm for helping Russian group in Ukraine

The United States on Thursday imposed sanctions on a Chinese company for allegedly providing satellite imagery in Ukraine to help Russia's Wagner mercenary group, which has come under growing US pressure.

10 Palestinians killed as Israel launches deadliest West Bank raid in years

Israeli forces in the West Bank killed 10 Palestinians Thursday, officials in the occupied territory said, nine of them in a raid the Israeli military described as a "counterterrorism operation".

Spain port reels after church attack as suspect background emerges

The city of Algeciras was united in mourning Thursday a day after a machete-wielding Moroccan stormed two churches, killing a verger and seriously wounding a priest in bloodshed that left residents reeling in the multicultural southern Spanish port.

Fresh clashes as M23 rebels make gains in east DR Congo

M23 rebels in eastern DR Congo clashed with soldiers and rival militias on Thursday, according to officials, who said the group's fighters had also cut a vital road in the turbulent region.

Russian missiles kill 11 in Ukraine

A blistering wave of Russian strikes targeting Ukraine's energy infrastructure killed 11 people on Thursday, a day after Germany and the United States pledged heavy tanks for Kyiv.

Israel raid in West Bank kills 9 in deadliest clash in years

Israeli forces in a West Bank raid killed nine Palestinians Thursday, officials in the occupied territory said, while the Israeli military said troops traded fire with Islamist militants during a "counterterrorism operation".

Russia's Lavrov on surprise visit to Eritrea

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov arrived in Eritrea on Thursday for a one-day surprise visit, the information ministry announced, as part of an African tour aimed at drumming up support for Moscow.

Markets rise on better-than-expected US growth

Stock markets rose on Thursday as US data showed the world's top economy grew at a slower pace in 2022 but finished the year on a stronger note.

Jailed Kurdish leader urges unity against Erdogan

Turkey's pro-Kurdish party should back the main opposition candidate instead of fielding its own against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in May elections, its elder statesman told AFP from jail.

DR Congo-Rwanda tensions hold up Doha peace summit

Qatar is battling to host a peace meeting between the presidents of rivals DR Congo and Rwanda, even though a summit this week was called off amid rising tensions, diplomats say.

Hands off our public holiday, cry angry Danes

The Danish government's plan to abolish a public holiday to help fund the defence budget amid the war in Ukraine is putting Denmark's cherished welfare model at risk, the country's biggest trade union warned.

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