Chinese President Xi Jinping met with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Beijing on Wednesday, putting forward three suggestions for the further development of China-Germany relations and saying that the two sides need to continue promoting their all-round strategic partnership, the Xinhua News Agency reported.
India’s prime minister is expected to discuss upgrading security and economic agreements amid rising regional tensions. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will begin a two-day visit to Israel on Wednesday.
TOKYO – Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi expressed Japan’s intention to strengthen ties with 14 Pacific Island nations through such means as personnel exchanges and building a relationship based on multilayered cooperation, at the third Japan Pacific Islands Defense Dialogue which concluded on Tuesday. This year’s meeting was also attended by seven ASEAN members, including the Philippines and Indonesia, as observers. China seeks to expand its influence over the island nations by providing vast sums in so-called aid.
Saudi Arabia has started to increase its oil output as part of a contingency plan in the event the United States attacks Iran and oil flows are disrupted, Reuters reported on Wednesday, as OPEC’s biggest oil producer positions itself as a "reliable supplier" looking to take up its traditional role as a key swing producer ready to stabilize the markets if a conflict occurs. U.S. President Donald Trump recently revealed that he is considering a "limited military strike" on Iran in a bid to pressure its leaders into a new nuclear agreement. Saudi crude shipments jumped to 7.3 million barrels per day (bpd) in the first 24 days of February 2026, the highest level since April 2023.
Commissioner calls for faster trade probes and WTO reform as Brussels confronts overcapacity, subsidies and a US$424 billion deficit. The European Union’s trade chief Maros Sefcovic has railed against the bloc’s glacial trade defences, warning that years-long probes and rigid rules will not protect the bloc from China’s increasingly fierce export machine. Speaking in the European Parliament on Tuesday, Sefcovic lashed out at Beijing’s “unsustainable” trade surplus and called for an urgent overhaul of world trading rules to account for “overcapacities”, “unfair trade policies” and “state subsidies”.
The Jakarta Post AFP Beijing Tue, February 24, 2026 The spat between Asia's top two economies was sparked by comments by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi in November that Japan could intervene militarily in any attack on self-ruled Taiwan. China imposed export restrictions on 40 Japanese companies on Tuesday, citing national security concerns, as Beijing escalated a months-long row that has seen Chinese tourism to Japan plummet.
Ο Ροντρίγκο Ντουτέρτε «έδωσε την άδεια για δολοφονίες» και «επέλεξε προσωπικά» ορισμένα από τα θύματα του πολέμου του κατά των ναρκωτικών, δήλωσε ο αντιεισαγγελέας του Διεθνούς Ποινικού Δικαστηρίου Μαμέ Μαντιάγε Νιάνγκ κατά την έναρξη της ακροαματικής διαδικασίας στην δίκη του 80χρονου πρώην προέδρου των Φιλιππίνων.
The secret deal was reached last year and has come to light as Washington is threatening to attack the Islamic Republic. The deal was signed in Russia’s capital last year and will see Moscow send 500 man-portable “Verba” launch units and 2,500 9M336 missiles, the report revealed, citing Russian documents. It was reached between the Moscow representative of Iran’s Defense Ministry and Armed Forces Logistics (MODAFL), and Russian weapons exporter Rosoboronexport.
From March 1, Kyrgyzstan will introduce a temporary ban on the import of fruit and berry seedlings from countries outside the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU). The restriction will remain in effect for six months and will not apply to re-export or transit operations, according to a resolution adopted by the Cabinet of Ministers.
Ο Κινέζος πρόεδρος Σι Τζινπίνγκ δήλωσε σήμερα έτοιμος να συνεργαστεί με τον Κιμ Γιονγκ Ουν για ένα "νέο κεφάλαιο" στις διμερείς σχέσεις Πεκίνου και Πιονγιάνγκ, σε συγχαρητήριο μήνυμα που έστειλε στον ηγέτη της Βόρειας Κορέας μετά την επανεκλογή του ως γενικός γραμματέας του κυβερνώντος Κόμματος των Εργατών. "Είμαι πρόθυμος να συνεργαστώ με τον γενικό γραμματέα (της Βόρειας Κορέας) για να εφαρμόσω αποτελεσματικά τη σημαντική συναίνεση που έχουμε επιτύχει, να γράψω ένα νέο κεφάλαιο στη φιλία Κίνας-Βόρειας Κορέας και να υπηρετήσω την οικοδόμηση του σοσιαλισμού και στις δύο χώρες", δήλωσε ο Σι στο μήνυμά του, σύμφωνα με την κρατική τηλεόραση. Η διπλωματική, πολιτική και οικονομική υποστήριξη από τη γειτονική Κίνα είναι ζωτικής σημασίας για τη Βόρεια Κορέα. Πηγή: ΑΠΕ - ΜΠΕ
Iran has proposed sending part of its highly enriched uranium abroad, diluting the remainder, and participating in a regional enrichment consortium in exchange for sanctions relief and recognition of its right to peaceful enrichment. The Trump administration has delayed military action for now, but continues to reinforce U.S. military assets in the Persian Gulf as talks are set to resume in Geneva.
Χαβιάρι, τρούφες, φουά γκρα και εκλεκτά κρασιά - όλα made in China. Για δεκαετίες, το «Made in China» παρέπεμπε στη μαζική παραγωγή και το χαμηλό κόστος. Σήμερα, όμως, η ίδια ένδειξη αρχίζει να αποκτά άλλη βαρύτητα: να ανοίγει την όρεξη. Σύμφωνα με ρεπορτάζ του Economist, η Κίνα διεισδύει δυναμικά στην αγορά των premium τροφίμων, αμφισβητώντας την κυριαρχία της Δύσης σε προϊόντα που μέχρι πρότινος θεωρούνταν αποκλειστικά «ευρωπαϊκά» ή «ιαπωνικά». Ήδη είναι ο μεγαλύτερος εξαγωγέας χαβιαριού οξύρρυγχου και τρούφας παγκοσμίως, ενώ επεκτείνεται ταχύτατα σε φουά γκρα, ελαιόλαδο, matcha και εκλεκτά κρασιά. Και η ζήτηση δεν περιορίζεται εκτός συνόρων: οι εγχώριοι καταναλωτές ανακαλύπτουν με ενθουσιασμό τα «ντελικατέσεν» της νέας εποχής.
The EU has identified Azerbaijan as a cornerstone of Europe’s post-Russia energy strategy, aiming to double gas imports to 20 bcm annually by 2027 via the Southern Gas Corridor. Azerbaijan is expanding both gas supply and renewable energy links. Beyond energy production, Azerbaijan is positioning itself as a key transit hub, strengthening pipeline, power, rail, and freight corridors that connect Central Asia and the Caspian region to European markets.