The China Mail - Politics

Eyeing future, Macron breaks with tradition by picking popular PM

By appointing Gabriel Attal prime minister, President Emmanuel Macron is betting on the youth and dynamism of the 34-year-old to beat the far-right in European elections but also shape a future after 2027 when he must step aside.

Zelensky says Western hesitation on Ukraine aid emboldens Putin

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky appealed for badly needed air-defence systems at the start of a tour of Baltic states Wednesday, warning that Western hesitation on aid for Ukraine was emboldening Russia.

French actor Delon's youngest son steps into escalating family feud

The youngest son of French film legend Alain Delon, 88, has filed a complaint against his sister accusing her of exploiting his frail health, a prosecutor said on Wednesday, in an escalating family feud drawing in his children.

Afghan women detained over improper hijab: Taliban official

A Taliban official has said several girls and women were detained recently in Kabul for not covering themselves properly, after reports circulated of a crackdown in the Afghan capital.

Blinken meets Palestinian leader as Israel keeps bombing Gaza

The Israeli army kept bombing the Gaza Strip and fighting Hamas militants on Wednesday as US top diplomat Antony Blinken met the head of the Palestinian Authority in the occupied West Bank.

Zelensky visits Baltic allies amid Ukraine aid doubts

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in Lithuania on Wednesday on an unannounced visit to staunch Baltic allies as he seeks to bolster wavering support among other Western backers.

Train strikes, farmer blockades snarl German transport

Nationwide strikes brought German transport to a standstill Wednesday, with railway workers on a three-day stoppage while farmers on tractors blocked autobahns in a bitter protest over subsidy cuts.

New French PM chooses cabinet after Macron promotion

France's new Prime Minister Gabriel Attal was on Wednesday choosing his cabinet team after his stunning promotion by President Emmanuel Macron to become the youngest French head of government.

Blinken meets Palestinian leader after urging Israel to spare Gaza civilians

Israel kept bombing Gaza on Wednesday as US top diplomat Antony Blinken met the head of the Palestinian Authority, which Washington hopes could govern the coastal territory after the war ends.

Rising prices cap India's thirst for Russian oil

Indian purchases of Russian crude in defiance of Western pressure over the Ukraine war have fallen to an 11-month low as the price tag on the discounted oil rises, figures show.

Asian markets drop again as traders steel for inflation, earnings

Asian markets on Wednesday resumed the losses that have characterised the year so far, following a tepid lead from Wall Street as traders prepare for the release of key inflation data and start of earnings season.

Blinken to meet Palestinian leader after urging Israel to spare Gaza civilians

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken was due to hold talks Wednesday with the head of the Palestinian Authority, which Washington hopes could govern Gaza after Israel's war with Hamas ends.

Attack on S. Korean opposition leader aimed to 'keep him from presidency': police

The recent stabbing of South Korean opposition leader Lee Jae-myung was meticulously planned by a well-prepared assailant who wanted to prevent the politician from becoming president, police said Wednesday.

'Definitely a trap': Ukraine's sappers face new dangers

A deafening explosion shakes the ground, sending lumps of dirt and smoke into the air, breaking the seeming tranquility of a cold January morning in the frozen fields of war-torn Ukraine's eastern Donbas region.

Blinken to meet Palestinian president after warning Israel civilian toll 'too high'

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken was due to hold talks Wednesday with the head of the Palestinian Authority, which Washington hopes could govern Gaza after Israel's war with Hamas ends.

Taiwan voters face flood of pro-China disinformation

From deepfakes to breathless TikTok videos, a wave of disinformation has hit Taiwan's voters ahead of Saturday's presidential election, aimed overwhelmingly at candidates China opposes.

Stabbed S. Korean opposition leader calls for 'end to warlike politics'

South Korean opposition leader Lee Jae-myung, who was stabbed in the neck by a man pretending to be a supporter, called for an "end to warlike politics" as he was discharged from hospital Wednesday.

N. Korea's Kim brands Seoul 'principal enemy' on weapons factory tour

North Korea's Kim Jong Un branded South Korea his country's "principal enemy" and warned he would not hesitate to annihilate it as he toured major weapons factories, state media said Wednesday.

Asian markets drop again as traders prepare for CPI, earnings

Asian markets on Wednesday resumed the losses that have characterised the year so far, following a tepid lead from Wall Street as traders prepare for the release of key inflation data and start of earnings season.

Biden in dark over defense chief's cancer for month

President Joe Biden was kept in the dark over his defense secretary's cancer diagnosis and subsequent hospitalizations for about a month, the White House admitted Tuesday, as details of Lloyd Austin's deeply unusual disappearance raised questions about leadership of the world's top military.

DR Congo constitutional court confirms Tshisekedi victory

DR Congo's Constitutional Court on Tuesday confirmed President Felix Tshisekedi's landslide victory in a December election for a second term in the poor but mineral-rich massive central African country.

After delay, doctors say US defense chief treated for cancer

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin was admitted to intensive care last week for complications from prostate cancer surgery, doctors said Tuesday, after he faced criticism for waiting days to inform the White House about his extended hospital stay.

Trump warns of 'bedlam,' appeals court skeptical of his immunity claim

Donald Trump warned on Tuesday of "bedlam" in the United States if he is put on trial, following an appeals court hearing that appeared to lean towards rejecting his claim of presidential immunity.

Blinken tells Israel civilian toll in Gaza 'far too high'

Top US diplomat Antony Blinken told Israel Tuesday the toll on Gazan civilians caused by its war against Hamas was "far too high", urging his ally to alleviate their suffering.

Bosnian Serbs mark controversial 'national day'

Bosnian Serbs marked on Tuesday their self-proclaimed "national day", disregarding condemnations and warnings that the holiday violated Bosnia's constitution and put peace at risk.

Norway trying to 'push me to suicide', says sobbing Breivik

A tearful Anders Behring Breivik, the right-wing extremist who killed 77 people in 2011, on Tuesday accused Norway of trying to "push (him) to suicide" with strict prison conditions, while authorities insisted he remained extremely violent.

Chinese official lauds US cooperation, walks back 'wolf warrior' talk

A senior Chinese official said Tuesday that Beijing did not seek to reshape the global order and sought greater US cooperation, in the latest departure from past hawkish rhetoric.

Blinken, Israel's Herzog, Argentina's Milei among Davos A-listers

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Israeli President Isaac Herzog and Middle East leaders will attend a World Economic Forum in Davos next week dominated by the war in Gaza, the WEF said Tuesday.

Blinken tells Israel to avoid 'further civilian harm' in Gaza

More than three months into the deadliest ever Gaza war, US top diplomat Antony Blinken urged Israel on Tuesday to "avoid further civilian harm" in the besieged Palestinian territory.

Between China and the US, trade takes a different route

Are the US and Chinese economies on the verge of decoupling? Trade data might suggest so, as the Asian giant, Washington's largest trading partner for a decade, has been supplanted by Mexico and is seeing its market share shrink.

Norway says Breivik still poses risk of 'unbridled violence'

Anders Behring Breivik, the right-wing extremist who killed 77 people in 2011, still poses a risk of "totally unbridled violence", the Norwegian state argued Tuesday in a lawsuit over his prison conditions.

Mother of French Gaza hostage demands ceasefire

Marie-Pascale Radoux has been waiting for three months for news of her son, Orion, still believed held hostage by Hamas in the Gaza Strip after their October 7 attack in Israel.

The China Mail - Politics (English)

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