China

At the Munich conference, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi called for recognizing the security interests of both Ukraine and russia and finding a political solution to the conflict in Ukraine.

President Zelenskiy announced that since the start of the Ukrainian corridor, more than 23 million tons of cargo have been transported through the Black Sea without Russian assistance.

The former architect of sanctions against Russia, Dalip Singh, returns to the Biden administration.

India resumed imports of Russian Sokol crude oil in February after a two-month hiatus, with at least two refineries receiving shipments, according to ship tracking and trade sources.

In 2024, elections will be held in more than 50 countries, so this year more than 2 billion voters will elect their governments. In particular, major elections are planned in India, the European Union, russia, Iran, and the United States.

Ukraine's grain exports increased by 16% in 2023 to 44. 8 million tons, with the EU remaining the main export destination

According to White House spokesperson Karin Jean-Pierre, Republicans who block additional aid to Ukraine are siding with Russian President Putin.

Hungary has blocked EU sanctions against Russia over proposed measures against Chinese companies.

In January 2024, Ukraine's foreign trade deficit remained at $1. 7 billion, the same as in January 2023, as imports exceeded exports despite a 7% increase in total trade.

The EU proposes to impose sanctions on North Korea for supplying russia with missiles used against Ukraine.

For the first time, the EU proposes to impose sanctions on companies in mainland China as part of its latest package aimed at closing loopholes that allow Russia to obtain military technology through third countries for its weapons factories, the report said.

russia is gradually gaining the upper hand in the war against Ukraine thanks to military support from countries such as North Korea and China, the head of Norwegian military intelligence believes.

The number of deals that European Commission officials must review under new rules restricting the activities of companies receiving state subsidies has increased to 50, while they were initially expected to review only 30 deals a year.

Residents of Bessarabia have changed their traditional pro-Russian vector to pro-Ukrainian - The Economist explains the reasons.

A Chinese company has created a nuclear battery that can generate electricity for 50 years without recharging, according to a report.

Eight Chinese balloons crossed Taiwan's airspace in the previous 24 hours, according to Taiwanese authorities.

China's ambassador to russia said in a commentary to russian media that Vladimir putin will hold several meetings with Xi Jinping in 2024.

The US and the Philippines conducted joint naval and air patrols in the South China Sea as part of annual military exercises, with a US general saying that this does not affect America's focus on the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East.

In January 2024, Chinese banks issued a record high volume of new loans to support the economy amid a deep real estate crisis and a prolonged stock market decline.

A small German bank may have been the center of an underground financial network that Iran has relied on for years to finance terrorist groups in the Middle East, including Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Yemeni Houthis, according to two Western intelligence agencies.

Today, February 9, is the International Day of the Dentist. The creator of modern dentistry in the eighteenth century was the French physician Pierre Fauchard, who distinguished it as a separate medical specialty.

The Ukrainian diving team of Oleksiy Sereda and Kyrylo Bolyukh won bronze medals in the synchronized diving from the 10-meter tower at the World Aquatics Championships in Doha, Qatar.

Ukrainian kamikaze drones, which are cheap, easy to operate, and have proven effective against russian troops and equipment, are called the weapon of the future by The Economist.

UN investigators have found that North Korea earned $3 billion through 58 cyberattacks on cryptocurrency companies between 2017 and 2023 to help fund its nuclear weapons program.

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Putin discussed strengthening bilateral ties and cooperation during a phone call on the eve of the Lunar New Year.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has criticized US Republican senators for blocking a bill in the US Senate that would have provided aid to Ukraine, saying that former US President Ronald Reagan, who helped many regain freedom and independence, would have been upset by their actions.

China says its position on the "Ukrainian crisis," as the war is called in China, is consistent and clear.

In 2022, China ceased to be the main source of US imports, losing ground to Mexico for the first time since 2008 due to reduced economic dependence on China and diversification of supply chains.

Russian and Iranian officials were not invited to the Munich Security Conference, as the chairman stated that they were not open to a meaningful dialogue.

Switzerland has invited China to participate in a peace conference on the war in Ukraine, and China has responded that it has taken the invitation under advisement.