Leaders Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin framed their nations' ties as a stabilising force in a chaotic world as they met Thursday in Beijing, where the Russian president is seeking greater Chinese support for his war effort in Ukraine. It is Putin's first trip abroad since his March re-election and the second in just over six months to China, an economic lifeline for Russia after the West hit it with unprecedented sanctions over its military offensive in Ukraine. Putin was greeted by Xi at a grand welcoming ceremony outside Beijing's Great Hall of the People, footage by state broadcaster CCTV showed. In a meeting, Xi then told his «old friend» Putin that China-Russia relations were «conducive to peace». «China is ready to work with Russia to... uphold fairness and justice in the world,» Xi added. Putin, in turn, told Xi the two countries' relations were «stabilising factors in the international arena». «Relations between Russia and China are not opportunistic and not directed against anyone,» Putin said, according to a Kremlin readout. «Together, we uphold the principles of justice and a democratic world order that reflects multipolar realities and is based on international law,» he added. Following closed-door meetings, the two leaders then signed a joint statement on deepening their countries' «comprehensive strategic partnership», state news agency Xinhua said. - No 'further escalation' - The Russian leader's arrival came hours after he hailed his country's troops for advancing on «all fronts» on the battlefield in Ukraine, following a major new ground assault. And the Kremlin said Russia and China had agreed to oppose «further escalation» of the conflict in Ukraine on Thursday. «The parties note the need to stop any steps that contribute to the prolongation of hostilities,» the Kremlin's readout of their joint statement said. China has dismissed claims it is aiding Russia's war in Ukraine and insisted that the West is exacerbating the conflict by sending arms to Ukraine. Xi has also rebuffed Western criticism of his country's close ties with Moscow. But their economic partnership has come under close scrutiny from the West in recent months. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned China's support for Russia's «brutal war of aggression» in Ukraine had helped Russia ramp up production of rockets, drones and tanks -- while stopping short of direct arms exports. China claims to be a neutral party in the Ukraine conflict, which it has never condemned and in which it has sought to frame itself as a mediator. And in a statement to media following talks with Putin, Xi said the two sides agreed on the need for a «political solution» to resolving the war. «China's position on this issue has always been clear,» Xi said in footage broadcast by Russian TV. That position included «respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries» as well as «respecting the reasonable security concerns of all sides», the Chinese leader added. The remarks echo a paper issued by Beijing last year, which Western countries said could enable Russia to hold much of the territory it has seized in Ukraine. China also «looks forward to the early restoration of peace and stability on the European continent», Xi said, promising Beijing would «continue to play a constructive role to that end». Putin in response said he was «grateful» to Beijing for its efforts to help resolve the conflict. He also referenced Beijing's complaints about growing security cooperation between the United States and its allies in Asia, warning of «harmful» military alliances in the region. On Thursday afternoon, the Russian leader met Premier Li Qiang -- China's number two official -- who said Beijing was willing to «continue to deepen cooperation in various fields». Putin and Xi then attended a ceremony celebrating 75 years of diplomatic relations between Moscow and Beijing, Xinhua said. - Transactions slow - China-Russia trade has boomed since the Ukraine invasion and hit $240 billion in 2023, according to Chinese customs figures. But after Washington vowed to go after financial institutions that facilitate Moscow, Chinese exports to Russia dipped in March and April, down from a surge early in the year. An executive order by President Joe Biden in December permits secondary sanctions on foreign banks that deal with Russia's war machine, allowing the US Treasury to cut them out of the dollar-led global financial system. That, coupled with recent efforts to rebuild fractured ties with the United States, may make Beijing reluctant to openly push more cooperation with Russia -- despite what Moscow may want, analysts say. Putin's post-election trip to Beijing echoes Xi's own visit to Russia after his re-anointing as leader last year. The Russian leader is due to travel to the northeastern city of Harbin for a trade and investment expo on Friday. © Agence France-Presse

Ukraine warned on Thursday it faced a «very difficult» military situation in its northeast Kharkiv region, where Moscow has made its largest territorial gains in 18 months since launching a surprise offensive last week. As Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Kyiv was sending yet more reinforcements to the area, the Ukrainian army said it had managed to partially halt Russia's advance. Kyiv also accused Russian troops of executing civilians in territory it had captured over the last week. The fresh Russian offensive has further stretched Ukraine's outgunned and outmanned forces. Moscow has seized 278 square kilometres (107 square miles) of Ukrainian territory between May 9 and 15, according to AFP calculations based on data from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) -- the largest territorial gain in a single operation since mid-December 2022. Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday met military leaders in Kharkiv city, some 30 kilometres (18 miles) from the Russian border to assess Ukraine's defensive efforts. «The situation in the Kharkiv region is generally under control, and our soldiers are inflicting significant losses on the occupier,» he said in a post on Telegram. «However, the area remains extremely difficult. We are reinforcing our units. Ukraine's army said earlier it had managed to halt the advancing Russian forces in some places. »Our defence forces have partially stabilised the situation. The advance of the enemy in certain zones and localities has been halted,« army spokesman Nazar Voloshin said on state TV on Thursday. In a daily briefing, Ukraine's General Staff said its forces had »significantly reduced the activity of the Russian occupiers.« »But the enemy is still trying to create the conditions for further advances,« Voloshin warned. - 'Killed by Russians' - Ukraine on Thursday also accused Russia of capturing and killing civilians in the border town of Vovchansk. »According to operational information, the Russian military, trying to gain a foothold in the city, did not allow local residents to evacuate: they began abducting people and driving them to basements,« Interior Minister Igor Klymenko said on Telegram. There were also »reports of the first shootings of civilians by the Russian military,« he said, adding that a war crimes investigation had been opened. »One of the residents of Vovchansk tried to escape on foot, refused to follow the commands of the invaders, and was killed by the Russians.« AFP could not verify the claims. There was no immediate response from Moscow to the allegations. Ukraine has been forced to evacuate around 8,800 people since Russia launched the new assault, Kharkiv Governor Oleg Synegubov said. Some were still arriving at a humanitarian centre in Kharkiv on Thursday. Among them was 85-year-old Nadezhda Borodina, who had her dog Vasik on a leash and her frightened cat Lucas packed in a plastic bag. Ukrainian »soldiers arrived and shouted 'Let's go, let's go!' and we were gone in five minutes,« she said. - 'All fronts' - Most of Russia's recent gains are in the Kharkiv area, though they have also claimed fresh territory in the eastern Donetsk and southern Zaporizhzhia regions. Following months of stalemate on the sprawling front lines, Russia has seized the initiative on the battlefield, pushing on from the capture of industrial hub Avdiivka in February. Russia's defence ministry said Thursday the army had »advanced deep into the enemy's defences« in the Kharkiv region. A day earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin had said his troops were advancing on »all fronts«. Some military analysts say Moscow may be trying to force Ukraine to divert troops from other hot spots, such as around the strategic hilltop town of Chasiv Yar in the Donetsk region. Russia's defence ministry said Wednesday its forces had captured the symbolic village of Robotyne in the Zaporizhzhia region, some 300 kilometres (185 miles) south of Moscow's new offensive. The settlement was one of the few successes for Kyiv of an underwhelming Ukrainian counter-offensive last summer. The intensification of Russian attacks on multiple fronts has underscored the acute ammunition and manpower shortages crippling the Ukrainian military. In China for a two-day state visit on Thursday, Putin said he was »grateful« to Beijing for »the initiatives they are putting forward to resolve" the war. There are no indications Moscow and Kyiv are prepared to engage in direct talks, which Ukraine says would only be used by Russia to buy time to prepare for a new assault. © Agence France-Presse

Valstybės sienos apsaugos tarnybai (VSAT) ketvirtadienį nepavyko iš Lietuvos išsiųsti septynių kubiečių, negavusių prieglobsčio mūsų šalyje. Tarnybos atstovas Delfi pasakojo, kad įkalbinėjant kubiečius išvykti, Medininkų pasienio punkte kuriam laikui buvo sustabdytas eismas. Galiausiai nuspręsta kubiečius grąžinti į Pabradę, bus sprendžiama, ką daryti toliau.

[allAfrica] The rescue and recovery operation continues since the tragic building collapse incident at 75 Victoria Street in George, Western Cape. According to George Municipality, rescue workers and other individuals involved have been tirelessly working at the site for 235 «gruelling» hours.

Банк скорректировал прогноз по прибыли и сообщил о возможности полной оплаты сделки по покупке Хоум Банка акциями допэмиссии.

Федеральная антимонопольная служба (ФАС) обратилась с просьбой к российским авиакомпаниям уточнить порядок образования цен и обеспечить доступность билетов на внутренних маршрутах для всех категорий граждан. Об этом заявил глава службы Максим Шаскольский в ходе своего выступления на годовой коллегии ведомства.

В России не исключили снижение ставки ЦБ уже во второй половине текущего года при соблюдении ряда условий.

Чистая прибыль «ТКС Холдинга» в первом квартале выросла до 22,3 млрд рублей, что на 37% больше, чем годом ранее. Выручка выросла на 66%, до 165,8 млрд рублей. Группа «Тинькофф» ожидает, что прибыль за 2024 год вырастет более чем на 30% год к году.

Весной 2022 года президент РФ поручил перевести оплату за экспорт российского газа в недружественные страны на рубли.

Легендарный в прошлом абсолютный чемпион мира поделился ожиданиями от боя в столице Саудовской Аравии.

Шугар-Хилл Стюард считает, что его подопечный гораздо сильнее украинского чемпиона.

Александр Красюк не считает спортивные достижения чемпиона мира WBC самыми значимыми в карьере.

Президент промоутерской компании TopRank хочет, чтобы состоялся невероятный исторический поединок.

Игроки сборной Украины по футболу верят, что украинский чемпион мира способен объединить титулы.

Писательница Лена Ленина в этом году решила последовать примеру телеведущей Виктории Бони и посетить Каннский кинофестиваль. Для красной дорожки она выбрала весьма экстравагантные образы, которые в Сети многие раскритиковали. Не пришлись они по душе и звездному стилисту Александру Данилову. В беседе с порталом «Страсти» он сравнил ее прическу с монтажной пеной.

Блогер Анна Заворотнюк сообщила, что прилетит в Москву к матери до конца мая. Дочь Анастасии Заворотнюк рассказала о планах в соцсети.

Сестра жены начальника главного управления кадров Минобороны России Юрия Кузнецова экстренно выставила дом в Краснодаре на продажу. Сделала она это на фоне скандала с генералом. Напомним, что его подозревают в получении взятки в особо крупном размере. Об этом сообщает Life.ru со ссылкой на Telegram-канал SHOT.

Анастасия Волочкова вспомнила, как жила в коммуналке с четырьмя животными. Об этом она рассказала в шоу «Вкусно с Анфисой Чеховой» на ТВ-3.

Певица Наташа Королева улетела из Москвы после того, как сразу два ее выступления в Кремлевском дворце были вырезаны из телеэфира. При этом для отдыха артистка выбрала Кавказские Минеральные Воды и взяла с собой мужа, стриптизера Сергея Глушко, известного под псевдонимом Тарзан.

Сборная Латвии потерпела самое крупное поражение за последние шесть лет. Подробнее…

Американский нападающий Коул Касселс подписал контракт с «Авангардом», сообщает пресс‑служба омского клуба. Подробнее…

It never rains but pour for South African government in the ongoing extradition case involving Prophet Shepherd Bushiri and wife, Mary, as the Chief Resident Magistrate Court has rejected their application to have the defense change the questioning techniques used in the cross examination. On Tuesday, during cross examining South Africa’s only witness, Sibongile Mnzinyathi […] The post South Africa suffers a fresh blow in Bushiri case as court reject protection of witness from being grilled appeared first on Malawi Nyasa Times - News from Malawi about Malawi.

Amalawi ayamba kukolola zipatso za ulendo wa mtsogoleri wa dziko lino, Dr. Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera, ku dziko la Belgium mchaka cha 2022 pamene makampani a ku dziko la Belgium tsopano ayamba kugwira ntchito zawo mdziko muno. Imodzi mwa makampani omwe Chakwera adakakumana nawo ku Belgium ndi Phillip Morris yomwe Lachinayi yatsimikizira Amalawi za kudzipereka kwake […] The post Amalawi ayamba kukolola zipatso za ulendo wa Chakwera ku Belgium appeared first on Malawi Nyasa Times - News from Malawi about Malawi.

Los ladrones trataron de sustraer un cajero automático en el sector de Tierras Blancas.

El esloveno Luka Doncic lideró con 31 puntos, 10 rebotes y 11 asistencias la victoria de Dallas Mavericks por 92-104 para ponerse 2-3 en la llave ante Oklahoma City Thunder y quedar a un paso de las final de la Conferencia Oeste en la NBA.

El canal Mega y la productora Bizarro producirán el evento entre 2025 y 2028.

El rockero norteamericano dirá presente en Wembley el próximo 1 de junio.

Вратари: Мануэль Нойер («Бавария»), Оливер Бауманн («Хоффенхайм»), Александер Нюбель («Штутгарт»), Марк-Андре тер Стеген («Барселона»); Защитники: Вальдемар Антон, Максимилиан Миттельштедт (оба – «Штутгарт»), Бенджамин Хенрихс, Давид Раум (оба – «РБ Лейпциг»), Йозуа Киммих («Бавария»), Робин Кох («Айнтрахт»), Антонио Рюдигер («Реал»), Нико Шлоттербек («Боруссия» Дортмунд), Джонатан Та («Байер»); Полузащитники: Роберт Андрих, Флориан Виртц (оба – «Байер»), Крис Фюрих («Штутгарт»), Паскаль Гросс («Брайтон»), Илкай Гюндоган («Барселона»), Тони Кроос («Реал»), Джамал Мусиала, Александар Павлович, Лерой Сане (все – «Бавария»); Нападающие: Максимилиан Байер («Хоффенхайм»), Никлас Фюллькруг («Боруссия» Дортмунд), Кай Хавертц («Арсенал»), Томас Мюллер («Бавария»), Дениз Ундав («Штутгарт»).

ФИФА сообщила, что обяжет все национальные ассоциации, входящие в состав организации, внести в дисциплинарные кодексы статью о санкциях за проявление расизма, включая прекращение матча.

14 мая президент России Владимир Путин подписал указ о назначении Михаила Дегтярева министром спорта.

Лондонский клуб проведет оценку работы тренера на следующей неделе.

Amanecerá con poca nubosidad en gran parte del territorio nacional, desde el final de la mañana estará parcialmente nublado y se nublará en la tarde en algunas localidades del interior de la mitad oriental con aisladas lluvias, las que serán escasas en el resto del archipiélago. The post El tiempo este 16 de mayo: Calor y aisladas lluvias en la mitad oriental first appeared on Cubadebate.