The China Mail - Politics

Featured

Outrage over plan to livestream US military firing squad execution

Condemnation of the Pentagon's plan to livestream the firing squad execution of a convicted military base mass shooter escalated Friday, with the UN saying it would amount to torture and US lawmakers from both parties slamming the move.

US sanctions: a 'test of resilience' for ICC

Donald Trump's US administration has announced sweeping sanctions on the International Criminal Court that threaten to cripple its operations and spark fresh transatlantic tension.

Last news

Egypt building 'enclosure' for displaced Gazans in Sinai: report

Egypt is building a walled camp in the Sinai Peninsula to receive Palestinians displaced from the besieged and bombarded Gaza Strip, according to a US media report on Thursday.

Alexei Navalny: daring opposition leader who died behind bars

Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who died in an Arctic prison on Friday, leveraged social media and fatigue with the Kremlin to rise to prominence.

Zelensky signs 'historic' security pact with Germany

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a security deal with Germany on Friday in Berlin, hailed by Chancellor Olaf Scholz as a "historic step" amid Kyiv's raging battles against Russia.

In Gaza's shadow, sanctions target West Bank settlers

Israeli settler Ely Federman probably doesn't know it yet, but he is under international sanction.

Myanmar villagers pick through rubble of homes devastated by war

A towering golden Buddha watches over families sifting through the wreckage of their homes in a northern Myanmar village as they grieve for all they have lost in heavy artillery and air strikes.

Ukraine reinforces embattled Avdiivka amid 'fierce' fighting

Ukraine said Friday it was sending more reinforcements to the frontline city of Avdiivka, a main target for Moscow ahead of the second anniversary of the Russian invasion.

Thousands seek to quit Myanmar after military service announcement

More than 1,000 people lined up at the Thai embassy in Yangon on Friday as young people sought to leave Myanmar after the junta said it would impose military service.

Ukraine says 'fierce' fighting inside symbolic frontline town

Ukraine said Friday there was fierce fighting in the beleaguered frontline city of Avdiivka that has become a main Russian target ahead of the second anniversay of its invasion.

UK Conservatives suffer double election defeat to Labour

Britain's ruling Conservative Party on Friday lost two more parliamentary seats to Labour in by-elections, dealing an ominous new blow to embattled Prime Minister Rishi Sunak ahead of a full national vote.

Prabowo cruising to Indonesia presidency halfway through count

Indonesian Defence Minister Prabowo Subianto was on course to win the archipelago's presidential poll by a wide margin, official tallies showed Friday with more than half of votes counted.

EU must double Ukraine aid, as US turns off the taps: institute

The European Union will have to double its military support to Ukraine to fill a gap left by the United States after months of blockage of new aid by Congress, a research institute that monitors assistance said on Friday.

99 journalists killed in 2023, 77 in Gaza war: report

Seventy-seven of the 99 journalists killed in 2023 were killed in the Israel-Hamas war, making the last 12 months the deadliest for the media in almost a decade, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Thursday.

Prabowo leads Indonesia race by wide margin with half votes counted

Indonesian Defence Minister Prabowo Subianto was on course to win the archipelago's presidential election by a wide margin, election commission results showed Friday, with 50 percent of votes counted.

Senegal constitutional body overturns presidential vote delay

Senegal's Constitutional Council on Thursday overturned the postponement of this month's presidential election, a historic decision that opens up a realm of uncertainty for the traditionally stable West African nation.

Russia developing 'troubling' anti-satellite weapon: White House

Russia is developing an anti-satellite weapon that is a cause for concern for the United States but poses no direct threat to people on Earth, the White House said on Thursday.

China urges firms not to be 'blinded by lies' over Xinjiang rights record

China on Thursday urged companies not to be "blinded by lies" about its rights record in Xinjiang, after German automaker Volkswagen said it was discussing the future of its activities in the troubled region.

Biden to host feuding Polish leaders as Ukraine concerns mount

US President Joe Biden will host Poland's squabbling premier and president next month, the White House said Thursday, to shore up solidarity for Ukraine's fight against the Russian invasion.

Farmers head to Rome's Circus Maximus in latest protest

More than 1,000 farmers staged a fresh protest in Rome on Thursday, including driving tractors onto the city's ancient chariot-racing stadium as part of a weeks-long campaign echoed across European capitals.

White House to brief lawmakers after Russia nuclear space reports

US President Joe Biden's national security chief will brief top lawmakers Thursday after they warned of a "serious" threat reportedly involving a Russian bid to build a space-based nuclear capability.

Trump threats spark new nuclear arms debate in Germany

Two years after its about-turn on defence policy in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Germany is starting to rethink another national taboo: nuclear weapons.

Trump faces critical hearings ahead of criminal trials

Donald Trump returned to court in Manhattan on Thursday where he is seeking to dismiss charges of covering up hush money payments that lie at the heart of what could be the first criminal trial of a former US president.

Ukraine reinforces 'critical' frontline town

Ukraine has rushed soldiers to the embattled eastern town of Avdiivka, surrounded on three sides by Russian forces, where the military said the situation was "extremely critical".

Ukrainian attack kills six in Russia's Belgorod, officials say

A Ukrainian rocket attack on the Russian city of Belgorod killed at least six people and wounded over a dozen others on Thursday, officials said.

AU summit seeks to raise Africa's voice on global stage

The African Union's annual summit will open on Saturday against the backdrop of coups in Gabon and Niger and a political crisis in Senegal, posing challenges for the bloc as it seeks to amplify its international presence.

Ukraine lands blows in Black Sea as frontline stagnates

While the frontline on land has remained largely static, Ukraine has destroyed a number of Russian warships in the Black Sea, crucial victories at a moment when Western support for Kyiv's fight against the invasion is wavering.

Israeli army says bodies of hostages likely held in Gaza hospital

Israel's army alleged on Thursday that bodies of hostages could be held at a hospital in southern Gaza, after troops entered the facility which medics say has been "besieged" for a month.

Azerbaijan planning 'full-scale war', Armenia warns

Azerbaijan is planning a "full-scale war" against Armenia, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan warned Thursday, two days after a skirmish on their border left four Armenian troops dead.

Attack on Russia's Belgorod kills five, governor says

An air attack on the Russian city of Belgorod killed at least five people and wounded 18 others on Thursday, the region's governor said.

Israel strikes southern Gaza, vows 'powerful' Rafah operation

Israel launched a new wave of deadly strikes on southern Gaza Thursday after vowing to push ahead with a "powerful" operation in the overcrowded city of Rafah despite growing international condemnation.

Ex-general Prabowo promises continuity on economic growth for Indonesia

Once a feared general under late dictator Suharto, Indonesia's likely new president Prabowo Subianto now faces the challenge of honouring his campaign pledges to maintain the country's economic growth.

Ukraine reinforces 'extremely critical' frontline town