WORLD

MOSCOW | Xinhua |  Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Venezuelan counterpart Nicolas Maduro expressed common ground on establishing a fair world order during a phone conversation on Thursday, the Kremlin said in a statement. “During an exchange of views on the international agenda, an emphasis was placed on the …

New York | Xinhua |  The United Nations on Thursday expressed concern over the Israeli order for the evacuation of civilians in southern Gaza. The Israeli military on Wednesday designated a new area covering about 20 percent of central and south of Khan Younis city for immediate evacuation. Prior to …

NEW YORK | Xinhua |  Rudy Giuliani, who once worked as a personal lawyer for former U.S. President Donald Trump, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in New York on Thursday, one day after he was ordered to begin paying 146 million U.S. dollars to two former Georgia election workers. …

PRAGUE | Xinhua |  The Czech Republic on Thursday night announced a state mourning on Dec. 23 following a university shooting in the capital Prague that has left at least 14 people dead. The Czech government made the announcement following an extraordinary meeting. State flags will be lowered to half-mast …

KUWAIT CITY | Xinhua | Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah officially assumed the role of emir of Kuwait on Wednesday, taking an oath before the Kuwaiti National Assembly. He succeeds the late Emir Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, who passed away at the age of 86 on December 16. Sheikh …

GAZA | Xinhua | The death toll of Palestinians from Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip has risen to 19,667, and 52,586 others were wounded since Oct. 7, the Hamas-run Health Ministry said on Tuesday. Meanwhile, Palestinian deaths and injuries from Israeli raids in the West Bank climbed to 301 …

VLADIVOSTOK | Xinhua | Russian President Vladimir Putin has extended a ban on transactions by foreigners from “unfriendly countries” with shares in strategic Russian banks and companies until the end of 2025, according to a decree renewed on Monday. The decree, initially published on Aug. 5, 2022, banned investors from …

NANCHANG | Xinhua | Despite external pressure and internal difficulties, China’s economy has achieved a recovery and made solid progress in high-quality development in 2023, noted the annual Central Economic Work Conference held last week. Among various factors propelling growth, consumer spending is playing an increasingly important role, accounting for …

SANAA | Xinhua |  Yemen’s Houthi militia on Monday claimed responsibility for attacks on an oil ship and a cargo ship in the southern part of the Red Sea, near the Bab al-Mandab Strait. “Our naval forces carried out a qualitative military operation against two ships linked to Israel. One …

BRUSSELS | Xinhua |  More than two months into the Israel-Hamas conflict, violence in the Middle East has no end in sight and Europe as a neighbor is still struggling to unify around a call for ceasefire in Gaza. The European Union (EU) summit ended December 15  without a much-expected …