China

China has identified two central government employees, Wang and his wife Zhou, as spies recruited by the British intelligence agency MI6 as part of an exchange and financial incentive program to collect intelligence.

Zelensky arrived in Manila, the capital of the Philippines, to personally invite President Ferdinand Marcos to a peace summit and call for regional leaders to participate, as well as announce Ukraine's plans to open an embassy in Manila this year.

Putin discussed with Xi Jinping the suspended operation to build the power of Siberia-2 gas pipeline due to China's demands to reduce prices and supply volumes, potential financing by Chinese banks of the Russian defense industry in the face of US sanctions, and China's refusal to participate in the summit on Ukraine in Geneva.

OPEC + countries have agreed to extend most of their oil production cuts until 2025, gradually curtailing them to support the market amid slow growth in global demand.

China's Chang'e-6 lunar lander successfully landed on the far side of the Moon to collect lunar samples, marking China's second historic achievement.

The G7 and the EU are considering measures to restrict the activities of third-country banks that use alternative financial messaging systems, such as SWIFT, to help Russia circumvent international sanctions.

North Korea has launched hundreds of garbage-filled balloons across the border with South Korea in retaliation for activists scattering anti-North Korean leaflets.

British intelligence agency MI5 will focus more resources on counterintelligence operations against spies from Russia, China and Iran due to the Russian-Ukrainian war, the growing number of Chinese agents and organized crime activities in Iran.

China has lifted preferential tariffs on 134 types of Taiwanese imports as a punishment for Taiwan's pro-independence stance, which has increased economic pressure on the island.

US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said at the Shangri-La Dialogue Conference in Singapore that war with China is "not close and not inevitable" and stressed the importance of open communication between the two countries to reduce misunderstandings.

According to US Deputy Secretary of state Kart Campbell, the United States is considering imposing sanctions on Chinese firms and financial institutions that systematically support Russia in the war against Ukraine.

The G7 and EU countries are considering tightening restrictions on banks that help Russia circumvent existing sanctions. Discussions are expected to continue until the G7 summit in June, where the leaders want to agree on a set of measures to better enforce sanctions

The Odessa regional state administration has received significant assistance from international partners, including the EU, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Sweden, Italy, Greece, Germany, France, the United States and Norway. Partners transfer medical equipment, ambulances, electric generators and other support for the restoration and development of the region.

Russian troops seized about 752 square kilometers of Ukrainian territory in 2024, despite Russia's Defense Minister Andrey Belousov's inflated estimate of 880 square kilometers.

Today, on the first of June, many countries hold events on the occasion of World Milk Day. The world produces about 700 million tons of drinking milk every year. Milk and dairy products are consumed daily by about six billion people.

The G7 and the EU are discussing sanctions against banks that use Russian analog SWIFT systems to circumvent restrictions, as their use tripled in 2023.

Ukraine cannot agree with China's demands to invite Russia to a peace summit, as this would distort the goal of the summit - to develop a collective position of the international community for further transmission of proposals to Russia.

The EU has imposed sanctions on 9 more individuals and legal entities from North Korea for supporting Russia's aggressive war against Ukraine by providing military assistance and circumventing UN sanctions.

Washington and Beijing held high-level talks to ease tensions and discuss cooperation in areas of mutual interest, such as the fight against drugs. The parties also discussed differences over Taiwan, the war in Ukraine and other issues.

Zelensky says a peace deal with Russia would be a "trap" because Putin would break any agreement and use any pause in the fighting to "strengthen his muscles" before striking again.

Agreements on a peace conference on Ukraine in Switzerland next month are still far from meeting China's needs and the general expectations of the international community, making it difficult for China to participate, Beijing said.

China has confirmed that it will not attend a peace conference on Ukraine to be held in Switzerland next month, citing four sources directly familiar with the matter, Reuters reports.

China is ready to take more decisive countermeasures in response to any attempts by the United States to violate its sovereignty and security interests.

Chinese Defense Ministry spokesman Wu Qian said China was responsible for exporting military products, responding to the United States ' accusations of supporting the Russian defense industry, and stressed China's desire for a peaceful settlement of the conflict.

China has resumed military exercises around Taiwan, putting pressure on the island nation through military exercises and unilaterally opening up new air routes near Taiwan-controlled islands, which Taiwan's foreign minister described as China's attempt to "bite off" Taiwan's space and create a new norm.

Deputy Foreign Minister of Ukraine Iryna Borovets met with Chinese ambassador fan Xianzhong to discuss China's support for Ukraine's peace initiatives, including the Global Peace Summit in Switzerland, and called on China to actively participate in the fight against human rights violations caused by Russian aggression.

Biden's participation in the peace summit in Switzerland remains uncertain, as the United States has not confirmed his presence, possibly for security reasons. Its presence or high-level representation by the United States is crucial for demonstrating Western support for Ukraine's peace initiative.

Beijing will send a new pair of giant pandas named Bao Li and Qing Bao to The Washington National Zoo in the United States as part of a 10-year agreement marking a new era of "panda diplomacy" between the two superpowers.

Russia plans to raise corporate income tax from 20% to 25% and personal income tax for high-income individuals from 15% to 22% starting in 2025 to cover the budget deficit caused by the war in Ukraine.

According to a report by Amnesty International, at least 1,153 people were executed worldwide in 2023, up 31% from the previous year, with a sharp increase in Iran and Saudi Arabia.