Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Moscow, May 7 /Xinhua/ — China and Russia will jointly defend the results of victory in World War II and oppose hegemonism and power politics, Chinese President Xi Jinping said in Moscow on Wednesday.
Xi Jinping made the statement in a written speech published upon his arrival in the Russian capital on a state visit and to attend events marking the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War.
China and Russia, as important major countries in the world and permanent members of the UN Security Council, will firmly safeguard the international system with the UN as its core and the international order based on international law, adhere to genuine multilateralism, and promote the building of a more just and reasonable global governance system, the Chinese leader said. –0–
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (OH-09)
Washington, DC — Representatives Marcy Kaptur (OH-09), Wesley Bell (MO-01), Mike Quigley (IL-05), and Hank Johnson (GA-04), led a letter to President Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi raising serious concerns over the potential nomination of Ed Martin to serve as US Attorney for the District of Columbia. Congresswoman Kaptur is the Co-Founder and Co-Chair and Congressman Quigley serves as Democratic Co-Chair of the Congressional Ukraine Caucus, and Congressman Bell is a new member of the Caucus. Additionally, Congressman Johnson is a senior member of the House Judiciary Committee, and Congressman Bell previously served as St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney, leading Missouri’s largest prosecutor’s office.
The letter cites Martin’s extensive history of appearances on Russian state-funded media outlets RT and Sputnik — over 150 times in recent years — as cause for alarm given the sensitive nature of the role. The lawmakers argue that Martin’s public statements on these platforms, many of which were not disclosed, have often echoed Kremlin propaganda and undermined US national security interests, particularly regarding Russia’s aggression in Ukraine.
“Mr. Martin’s public contributions to Russian-backed platforms are deeply troubling to consider when considering how these views may reflect his stance toward critical issues related to Ukraine and national security. The downplaying of Russian aggression and interference in Ukraine he has espoused on Russian media raises concerns about his ability to uphold U.S. interests, particularly at a time when Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has escalated tensions globally. Additionally, his denying evidence of a Russian military buildup near Ukraine’s borders and suggesting that it was the US, not the Assad Regime, who ‘engineered’ the deadly 2017 Syrian chemical weapons attack. His appearances have included promoting narratives that align with Russian propaganda over US policy positions and our national interests,” said the lawmakers.
“Crucially, Mr. Martin did not fully disclose his extensive involvement with RT and Sputnik as required on his Senate Judiciary Committee questionnaire. This failure in transparency regarding his associations with Russian-backed media outlets calls into question his judgment and commitment to serving the interests of the United States. The US government has consistently recognized RT and Sputnik as propaganda and intelligence tools of the Russian state, and his refusal to disclose his participation raises serious doubts about his loyalty to American values,” continued the lawmakers.
“Given the gravity of these concerns, we urge you to conduct a thorough review of Mr. Martin’s past statements, associations, and overall fitness for the role of US Attorney for the District of Columbia. The appointment of an individual with such questionable allegiances could have serious repercussions for both US foreign policy and the integrity of our legal system,” concluded the lawmakers.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (OH-09)
*** WATCH A FULL RECORDING OF THE HEARING HERE***
Washington, DC — Today, Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (OH-09), Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Subcommittee, delivered the following opening remarks at the subcommittee’s fiscal year 2026 budget hearing for the US Department of Energy with Energy Secretary Chris Chris Wright:
Good morning, and thank you all for joining us.
As the Ranking Member of this subcommittee and a lifelong advocate for America’s energy independence in perpetuity, I welcome this opportunity to examine the Department of Energy’s recent actions and to discuss your proposed budget.
Let me begin with a plain truth: The essentials of life are freshwater, food, and energy. The United States cannot afford to shortchange our energy future. US energy independence is essential for our liberty. I served President Jimmy Carter during the turbulent era not so long ago when the US slid into unconscious dependence on global energy supplies. My motto from then until now “never again.”
The Department of Energy is the engine room of our nation’s energy security. It drives innovation. It serves as a critical steward of our nuclear security enterprise, and environmental obligations. We have not always done well there. It powers our economy. It protects our grid. It supports cutting-edge research, and ensures that our people — working families, industrious small and large businesses, farmers, our retirees — all have access to affordable, reliable energy and continuing energy innovation.
And yet, we are confronted with proposals to slash $20 Billion in Department of Energy programs, despite clear and present threats to our energy stability. The Administration’s devastating 74 percent cut to Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy is not just shortsighted, it is dangerous. Since January, the Department of Energy has suspended critical energy programs, cancelled executed awards and contracts authorized by Congress, severely reduced staffing, including removal of the Inspector General who tries to go after the crooks, and changed contracting policies. The resulting confusion has disrupted communities, businesses, and project developers across our country. This chaotic approach to this critical sector of a strong America and our national security impacts every family, business and community. Already, our people are feeling directly how the pinch feels when rising energy costs impact every American family and business.
Let me be crystal clear. Weakening US energy progress at DOE is a direct threat to America’s energy security and gives our enemies relief. Weakness in advancing America’s energy intelligence leaves us open and exposed to foreign influence. Radical cutbacks weaken our domestic supply chains and delay the very innovations that would shield our economy from global price shocks and hasten enemy targeting. I am shocked by the damage the Administration’s proposals are causing and will continue to cause.
Energy is essential to our way of life and economic growth of all of our communities. The United States is producing more oil than ever before — record-high production levels — something that, in theory, should be bringing gasoline prices down, not bobbing back and forth. But the reality is, American families have not been seeing sustained record-low gas prices. Why? Because we are still tethered to a volatile global energy market dominated by cartels and petroleum dictators. Oil prices declined recently after the OPEC cartel and its allies agreed to a further boost to output. US crude fell 2 percent to $53.13 a barrel, its lowest value since February 2021. Let me be the first Member of Congress to warn you that dependence on foreign crude is not in the national security interests of our nation.
Forty-eight years ago, as our nation’s economy tanked and sank into deep depression due to the first Arab oil embargo, President Carter and our predecessors in Congress created the US Department of Energy. With their vision and steadfast bipartisan commitment over decades, our nation has steadily made progress in attaining domestic energy independence. We cannot take our foot off the accelerator.
Over the last 40 years, America has made remarkable progress through expanding domestic oil and gas production. Ohio knows this well. We have developed cheaper, cleaner energy sources. Competition brings lower prices in energy. Innovations, including biofuels, solar, energy storage, and thermal recovery, are pushing into new energy frontiers of fusion, advanced nuclear, and hydrogen.
Let’s not forget — when Russia invaded Ukraine, it wasn’t just a European crisis. That illegal invasion sent energy prices soaring around the world. The Department of Energy’s swift action to deploy strategic reserves and accelerate clean energy deployment helped soften the blow. But without a fully resourced Department, our ability to respond next time will be severely limited. This posture is dangerous.
American energy independence is about more than geopolitics. Hardworking families in Northwest Ohio and across our country feel these pressures at the pump, see it in their utility bills, and at the checkout counter at the grocery store.
Our nation is approaching 350 million people. We cannot behave as though this is 1950. Undermining the US Department of Energy by severely underfunding advanced energy research risks higher energy costs, increased geopolitical volatility, and weaker national security. That is not a future America should accept.
Mr. Secretary, I would also like to close by raising for your awareness a district-centric issue that holds national implications: two of the five worst commercial nuclear power incidents in our nation’s history occurred in Ohio’s Nuclear North that I represent. That’s 40 percent! These dangerous and ultimately criminally negligent operations represent the worst management of commercial nuclear power in our nation’s history.
Ratepayers in Ohio have for 40 years been the victim of these corrupt commercial nuclear operations — all through the willful federal and state abdication of quality management by the Atomic Energy Commission, the Department of Energy, and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Our ratepayers deserve and are due justice — they have been paying for the crimes and slipshod decision. So I ask that you help me from your position to achieve justice for Ohio’s billed ratepayers; the price gouging continues as we meet here today.
As we work on FY 26 appropriations, I will fight to ensure this Energy and Water bill invests in America’s every future, our energy independence, in world-class innovation, and diversifying energy supplies as fundamental to our continuing economic strength. I have a notebook I have prepared for you and your staff outlining what has been going on in Ohio. It is absolutely un-American what has gone on there, and it has gone on for a long time. America’s energy future is in your hands. Everything must be “Made in America,” for America to assure a remarkable history for the generations to come.
Thank you, and I look forward to the discussion ahead.
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
BEIJING, May 7 (Xinhua) — China’s National Financial Supervision Administration on Wednesday called for maintaining stable growth in lending to small and micro enterprises and continuously improving the quality of credit services provided to them.
In its circular, the department said that banking and financial institutions need to ensure sufficient supply of credit for small and micro enterprises, aiming to ensure that the growth rate of inclusive lending to small and micro enterprises is at par with the growth rate of all types of loans.
The Authority also called on the above-mentioned institutions to strengthen regulation of the cost of credit, and scientifically and rationally determine the interest rate levels for inclusive lending to small and micro enterprises.
In addition, banking and financial institutions are encouraged to leverage their professional advantages and increase financial support for small and micro enterprises in the areas of foreign trade, private sector, technology and consumption.
As of the end of February 2025, the total outstanding inclusive loans issued to small and micro enterprises nationwide stood at 33.9 trillion yuan (about 4.71 trillion U.S. dollars), up 12.6 percent year-on-year. –0–
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Xinhua | 08. 05. 2025
Keywords:
Source: Xinhua
Flash: Xi Jinping announced in-depth communication with Russian President V. Putin on bilateral relations, major international and regional issues of mutual interest Flash: Xi Jinping announced in-depth communication with Russian President V. Putin on bilateral relations, major international and regional issues of mutual interest
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Xinhua | 08. 05. 2025
Keywords:
Source: Xinhua
Flash: Xi Jinping Calls for Jointly Advancing the Correct Historical View of World War II, Sending a Strong Signal of Upholding International Fairness and Justice Flash: Xi Jinping Calls for Jointly Advancing the Correct Historical View of World War II, Sending a Strong Signal of Upholding International Fairness and Justice
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
BEIJING, May 7 (Xinhua) — Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas exchanged congratulatory messages on Tuesday to mark the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the EU.
Wang Yi, also a member of the Politburo of the CPC Central Committee, noted in his message that in the half-century since the establishment of diplomatic relations, ties between China and the EU have achieved significant development, demonstrating high stability and vitality.
According to the Chinese diplomat, in the context of chaotic transformations in the international situation, the two sides should implement the important agreements reached by the leaders of China and the EU, remain true to the original intentions when establishing diplomatic relations, strengthen strategic exchanges, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation, properly handle differences and frictions, firmly adhere to genuine multilateralism, jointly oppose unilateralism, protectionism and economic bullying, and safeguard global fairness and justice.
Wang Yi added that the two sides should make unremitting efforts to build China-EU relations into a comprehensive strategic partnership with greater strategic significance and greater global influence, and jointly enter the next promising 50 years in the history of bilateral ties.
For her part, K. Kallas stated that the European Union and China, which have many common responsibilities, must jointly adhere to multilateralism, defend the UN Charter, the primacy and norms of international law, maintain international order, as well as peace and stability throughout the world. –0–
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
BEIJING, May 7 (Xinhua) — China’s State Council’s Commission on Industrial Safety on Wednesday called for increased efforts to prevent serious accidents in the country.
The agency issued a notice calling on governments at all levels and centrally-controlled enterprises to take decisive steps to fulfil their responsibilities and implement safety measures at the grassroots level and at every workplace.
The document also emphasizes the need to actively respond to the challenges posed to production safety by adverse weather conditions.
Additional efforts should be made to enhance safety in the transport sector by strengthening checks, patrols, monitoring and early warning during adverse weather and peak hours, the notice said.
In addition, the committee requires strengthening security controls in crowded areas and taking measures to evacuate visitors and suspend operations in the event of extreme weather events.
The notice notes the need to eliminate hidden hazards in key industries and areas, in particular to improve the safety of chemical industrial parks, improve the safety situation of obsolete chemical equipment, and expand expert support services in key areas. –0–
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Xinhua | 07. 05. 2025
Keywords: Xi Jinping, Chairman of the People’s Republic of China, anniversary of victory, state visit, participation, occasion, arrived, Moscow, war, urgently, events, Jinping, celebrations, Wednesday, Russia
Moscow, May 7 (Xinhua) — Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Moscow on Wednesday for a state visit to Russia and to attend celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War. –0–
Source: Xinhua
Breaking News: Xi Jinping Arrives in Moscow on State Visit and to Attend Events to Celebrate the 80th Anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War Breaking News: Xi Jinping Arrives in Moscow on State Visit and to Attend Events to Celebrate the 80th Anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
ISLAMABAD, May 7 (Xinhua) — Pakistan Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif on Wednesday said his country is fully capable of defending its geographical borders and responding to any aggression from India.
Sh. Sharif made this statement while speaking in the National Assembly (lower house of parliament) of Pakistan.
Pakistan shot down five Indian military aircraft without entering Indian airspace, he said.
Pakistan’s National Security Council has “authorised” the army to take “appropriate” countermeasures in response to the Indian attacks, which killed 26 civilians and injured 46, the Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement on Wednesday.
Tensions between the two South Asian neighbours have escalated after an attack on tourists in Pahalgam, which Indian media reported killed at least 25 people. –0–
The term that perhaps best describes the international impact of the first 100 days of Donald Trump’s second term is “disruption”. His tariff policy, his abolition of USAID, his questioning of the transatlantic alliance, and his attempted rapprochement with Russia have neither destroyed the liberal international order nor established anything new in its place.
But the prospects of liberal internationalism under Trump are vanishingly small. And Trumpism, in the guise of an America-first foreign policy, is likely to outlast Trump’s second term.
That the US is no longer the standard bearer of the liberal international order has been clear for some time. Trump and his Russian and Chinese counterparts, Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping, appear to see themselves as dominant players in a new multi-polar world order. But it is not clear that a grand bargain between them is possible – or that it would endure.
Europe is particularly vulnerable to these changes in the international order. Having been able to rely for the past eight decades on an iron-clad American security guarantee, European countries chronically under-invested in their defence capabilities, especially since the end of the cold war.
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Defence spending as a proportion of GDP may have increased over the past decade but remains lacklustre. And investment into an independent European defence industrial base faces many hurdles.
These deficiencies predated Trump’s return to the White House. Addressing them will only be possible in a time frame beyond his second term. With no dependable partners left among the world’s great powers, Europe’s predicament – unenviable as it may be for the moment – nonetheless offers an opportunity for the continent to begin to stand on its own feet.
Early signs of a more independent Europe are promising. In March, the European commission released a white paper on defence which anticipates defence investment of €800 billion (£680 billion) over the next four years.
The bulk of this will rely on the activation of the so-called “national escape clause”. This allows EU member states to escape penalties if they exceed the normal deficit ceiling of 3% GDP.
Once activated for the purpose of defence spending, they can now take on additional debt of up to 1.5% of their GDP. By the end of April, 12 EU member states had already requested that the national escape clause be activated, with several more expected to follow.
Defence is clearly the most urgent problem for Europe. But it isn’t the only aspect to consider when it comes to achieving greater strategic autonomy, something that the European Union has grappled with for more than a decade. In other areas, such as trade and energy, the starting point is a very different one.
Regarding energy independence, the EU has achieved a remarkable and quick pivot away from Russia. It has just released a final plan to stop all remaining gas imports from Russia by the end of 2027.
China and the EU clearly share an interest in preserving a global trade regime from which both have benefited. But their economic interests cannot be separated easily from their geopolitical interests. So far, China has sent very mixed signals to Europe.
Beijing has, for example, proposed to lift sanctions against some members of the European parliament who have been critical of China in a show of goodwill. But China’s support for Russia continues as well, most recently with Xi’s commitment to visit Moscow for the victory day parade on May 9.
Standing with Moscow may benefit Beijing in its rivalry with the US by solidifying the no-limits partnership that Xi and Putin announced on the eve of Russia’s full-sale invasion in February 2022. But it does little to win the EU over as a partner in defence of the open international order that Trump is trying his best to shutter.
On the contrary, in reaffirming China’s commitment to its partnership with Russia, Xi may well have lost whatever chances there were for a European realignment with China.
The complexities of the EU-China and EU-US relationships – a curious mix of rapidly shifting interests – reflects the EU’s position as the natural centre of gravity of what is left of the west. This is evident in the rapid evolution of the “coalition of the willing” in support of Ukraine, which brings together 30 countries from across the EU and Nato under French and British leadership.
Beyond Europe, Trump’s tariff policy has given plans for a strategic partnership between the EU and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) a new lease of life. The CPTPP is a group of 11 Indo-Pacific countries and the UK, which joined last December. It is one of the world’s largest free trade areas, accounting for approximately 15% of global GDP.
Even without US and Chinese membership, a partnership between the EU and the CPTPP would wield significant power in the global economic system and could play a future role in shielding its members from an intensifying US-China trade war.
Limited alternatives
None of the steps taken by the EU and its partners on the continent and elsewhere require the breakdown in the transatlantic relationship that the Trump administration appears keen to engineer. But speeches by both the US vice president, J.D. Vance, and the secretary of state, Marco Rubio, were clear that America’s relationship with Europe is changing.
Washington, under its current leadership, increasingly leans towards the political forces in Europe that are opposed to the values on which the continent has been orientated since 1945. This leaves Europe few options but to seek more independence from the US.
A more independent Europe is unlikely to become a global superpower on par with the US or China. But it will be better able to hold its own in a geopolitical environment that is less based on rules and more on power.
The EU currently enjoys historically high approval ratings among its citizens – who also support more unity and a more active role for the EU in protecting them from global security risks.
It’s increasingly clear that EU leaders and their partners have a unique opportunity – and an obligation – to carve out a more secure and independent space in a hostile global environment.
Stefan Wolff is a past recipient of grant funding from the Natural Environment Research Council of the UK, the United States Institute of Peace, the Economic and Social Research Council of the UK, the British Academy, the NATO Science for Peace Programme, the EU Framework Programmes 6 and 7 and Horizon 2020, as well as the EU’s Jean Monnet Programme. He is a Trustee and Honorary Treasurer of the Political Studies Association of the UK and a Senior Research Fellow at the Foreign Policy Centre in London.
Source: The Conversation – UK – By Hazel Hall, Emeritus Professor in the School of Computing, Engineering, and Built Environment, Edinburgh Napier University
From street parties to flypasts, the myriad events of VE Day – which this year commemorates the 80th anniversary of victory in Europe – take place against the backdrop of grand wartime narratives. These include accounts of military strategy, major battles and political decisions made by global leaders. Central to the day are the few remaining second world war veterans and the memory of those who lost their lives in the conflict between 1939 and 1945.
While military and political history may dominate the retelling of VE Day, the research of my colleagues at Napier and myself has focused on a wartime commentary written by a young woman called Lorna Lloyd from Malvern, Worcestershire, between 1939 and 1941.
Thursday December 12 1940
It was a very bad night last night with guns firing endlessly and heavy bombs dropping in the (not so) distance. Cheltenham seems to have got it, and Birmingham. We hardly slept at all, for though the All Clear went at 1.40am, a new alert sounded at 4.00am, and the All Clear did not go until 20 to eight.
Through our study we found that bringing the voices of ordinary people from the second world war directly into the present can forge strong emotional connections to the past, giving people a real appreciation of what it was like to live through the war in Britain. This material also prompts consideration of parallels between past and current hostilities.
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Fearing a German invasion in May 1940, 26-year-old Lloyd wrote in her diary: “I shall bury this diary so deep that one day, in a saner world, someone may find it and know that the last legions of civilisation meant not dominion but good.”
Whether or not today’s world is saner, our research with 12 interviewees familiar with two digitised versions of Lloyd’s wartime diary revealed that excerpts had a stronger emotional impact when packaged as audio in a podcast series than they did presented online as text and images.
Using news reports from the time including broadcast excerpts from the BBC, Lloyd’s words composed at her middle-class home in the Midlands highlight that war is a very human experience that affects everyone.
Her commentary offers insight into the devastating reach of the conflict on those far from the frontlines, with reflections that demonstrate the psychological toll of war and its impact on everyday life.
December 31 1940
London vanishes gradually. Now a slice is shorn away as on Sunday night, now inchmeal buildings are levelled and gaps torn in its ancient fabric. With each, something dies that was hallowed by generations of hope and endeavour, quiet monuments of ordinary strivings vanish into piles of rubble.
They also shed light on the roots of post-war social transformation, from the formation of the National Health Service to the cautious outlook of the so-called “silent generation” who grew up amid rationing and uncertainty. In a time when peace can no longer be taken for granted, these personal perspectives reinforce the importance of diplomacy, and the need to avoid conflict in the future.
June 3 1940
There are times when I feel endlessly old, and worn out, and others when I feel hopelessly young, and completely unable to combat life, or to hope for any future. I know somehow, despite the frantic entry of May 15th, that we shall win in the end, but my spirit quails at the task of building up again what has been broken down. It took 22 years to arrive even in this country at anything like normality after the last war. When things have settled down again shall I be old?
Although we anticipated that our participants would find the experience particularly affecting since they knew Lloyd was played in the podcast episodes by her 25-year-old great-great niece, an unexpected finding was that the emotional reaction was greater when the audience members recognised parallels between Lloyd’s reports of the early months of the war and the current war in Ukraine.
They were struck by the echoes of Lloyd’s commentary on 1940s wartime Europe in present-day Ukraine. One interviewee said: “It’s so much harder [to listen]… because we are in a similar situation … If you changed the words slightly, it could [be] contemporary … If we made Germany Russia, and made Finland Ukraine … We are dealing with [accommodating displaced people] today.”
This finding shows that examining history in this accessible way can lead to identifying parallels with the present. An advantage that we have today – and which was denied to Lorna Lloyd and her contemporaries – is that we have an example from history to warn us about the dangers of the current political climate in Europe.
The political and economic pressures at the time in Weimar Germany paved the way for the rise of the Nazi party. And now, with the rise of the right wing in Europe and across the world once more, it is more important than ever to learn from the past.
As so few living memories of the second world war remain today, VE Day gives us a chance to consider how we keep such “hidden” histories alive. Our research shows that digital storytelling such as podcasts give fresh resonance to archive material in an uncertain world. And it makes clear the enduring value of encouraging interaction with historical records to make sense of today’s wider social and political turbulence.
The research cited here was funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council through the Creative Informatics programme. Hazel Hall acknowledges the contributions of her colleagues Bruce Ryan, Marianne Wilson, and Iain McGregor to this article.
Despite the significant progress achieved under the RePowerEu and via sanctions since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, in 2024 the EU saw a rebound in Russian gas imports.
The European Commission is working with all Member States to gradually cut energy ties with Russia. This includes Russian gas, oil, and nuclear energy but also putting forward new actions to address Russia’s shadow fleet transporting oil.
Source: The Conversation – UK – By Benjamin Roberts, Associate Professor in Later European Prehistory, Durham University
Bronze age tin ingot from Salcombe, England.Benjamin Roberts / Alan Williams
Tin was the critical mineral of the ancient world. It was essential to alloy with copper to make bronze, which for many centuries was the preferred metal for tools and weapons. Yet sources of tin are very scarce – and were especially so for the rapidly growing bronze age towns, cities and states around the eastern Mediterranean.
Though major tin deposits are found in western and central Europe and in central Asia, by far the richest and most accessible tin ores are in Cornwall and Devon in southwest Britain. Yet it has been difficult to prove that these British deposits were used as a source for people in the eastern Mediterranean. So for more than two centuries, archaeologists have debated about where bronze age societies obtained their tin.
In a new study published in the journal Antiquity, our team analysed the chemistry and different forms of particular elements in tin ores and artefacts from across Britain and Europe. These included tin ingots found at prehistoric shipwreck sites at Salcombe and Erme, southwest Britain, as well as in the Mediterranean.
This revealed that tin ingots from three ancient shipwrecks discovered off the coast of Israel and one shipwreck found off the Mediterranean coast of France originated in southwest Britain. The shipwrecks found near Israel date to around 1300BC, while the wreck from France has been dated to around 600BC.
Small farming communities across Cornwall and Devon would have dug, washed, crushed and smelted the abundant tin ore from the alluvial deposits in the region. The heavy sand to gravel-sized tin ore is in a layer buried under soft layers of barren silt, sand and gravel.
The tin ore is eroded from hard rock mineral veins and deposited by streams and rivers. There was simply no need for any complex and difficult mining of hard rock here. The tin would then have been taken to coastal locations where it could be traded.
It’s probable that the tin was then moved by traders through France to the Mediterranean coast, where it was loaded onto ships. It would make its way through flourishing trade networks between the islands of Sardinia and Cyprus before reaching markets in the east Mediterranean. The tin’s value would have increased immensely as it progressed along this 2,485 mile (4,000km) journey.
Tin is the first commodity to have been exported across the entire European continent. It was produced and traded at a potentially vast scale, but is rarely found in archaeological sites due to corrosion. But what we do known is that by 1,300BC, virtually all of Europe and the Mediterranean had widespread and consistent access to bronze.
We know of more than 100 bronze age copper mines from Ireland to Israel and from Spain to the southern Urals in Russia. Yet these would have been just a small proportion of the copper mines active at the time.
Given that bronze was typically made from 90% copper and 10% tin, if the copper produced by each of these known mines had to be matched by 10% tin, then tens or even hundreds of tonnes of tin were being traded each year – perhaps across distances of thousands of miles.
St Michael’s Mount may be the site of the ancient island Ictis. Alan Williams
The volume, consistency and frequency of the estimated scale in the tin trade is far larger than has been previously imagined and requires an entirely new perspective on what bronze age miners and merchants were able to achieve. It is no coincidence that it is around 1,300BC that technologies from the east, such as sophisticated systems for weighing items, as well as bronze swords, reached small farming communities living on the Atlantic coasts.
A millennium later, around 320BC, Pytheas the Greek, from Massalia (modern Marseilles), journeyed by land and sea to Britain, which was at the edge of the known world at the time. Pytheas wrote the earliest account describing the island and its inhabitants in a book which is now lost, but which has partially survived in snippets quoted by later classical authors.
Pytheas described how tin in southwest Britain was extracted and traded off a tidal island he called Ictis, before being taken across the sea and down the rivers of France to the mouth of the Rhone in only 30 days. In our research, we provide the first direct evidence for the tin trade Pytheas described. We show that tin from the Rochelongue shipwreck, off the south coast of France and dating to around 600BC, came from southwest Britain.
While we can establish the movement of tin across the seas, we know very little about the markets on land in which it was traded. We are now working with a team of archaeologists from Cornwall to excavate on the tidal island of St Michael’s Mount, which has long thought to have been the island of Ictis described by Pytheas.
A pan-continental tin trade continued in all periods after the bronze age and, in the absence of written records, our approach, using different methods of analysis, allows us to determine whether the tin came from Britain.
Historical records show that during the medieval period, tin from Cornwall and Devon enjoyed a virtual European monopoly, with production continuing until the last tin mine closed in 1998.
Today, tin is once again a critical and strategic mineral, this time for use in the electronics industry. As such it forms a vital part of the tools and weapons of the 21st century. Cornwall’s tin production is also set to soon restart, reviving a 4,000 year old industry.
Benjamin Roberts was PI on Project Ancient Tin which was funded by the Leverhulme Trust (Grant RPG-2019-333).
Alan Williams was the post doc on Project Ancient Tin which was funded by the Leverhulme Trust (Grant RPG-2019-333).
Source: The Conversation – UK – By Natasha Lindstaedt, Professor in the Department of Government, University of Essex
India has launched military strikes against a number of sites in Pakistan and Pakistan’s side of the disputed region of Kashmir, reportedly killing 26 people and injuring dozens more. India claimed the attacks were on terrorist infrastructure, but Pakistan denied this, and said these were civilians.
India says another ten people on the Indian side of the Kashmir region have been killed by shelling from Pakistan in the same period.
The exchange comes two weeks after a terrorist attack in Kashmir killed 26 people. The group Resistance Front (TRF), which India argues is a proxy for the Pakistani-based terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba, claimed responsibility for the attack.
India claimed that Pakistan had indirectly supported the terrorist attack, but Pakistan vehemently denies this.
The escalating conflict between two of the world’s major military powers has the potential to destablise Asia and beyond. Already, many countries around the world, including the UK, France and Russia, have made public their concerns about what happens next.
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How do India and Pakistan’s militaries compare?
India is ranked as one of the world’s top five military nations by Military Watch magazine and Pakistan is ranked ninth. Both countries have nuclear weapons.
Overall, India is considered to have the military edge with a bigger and more modern military force, while Pakistan has a smaller and more agile force that has been primarily focused on defensive and covert activities.
While neither country has used nuclear weapons in a conflict, there are always concerns that this norm may be broken. Both countries are nuclear powers with India holding 180 nuclear warheads, and Pakistan possessing about 170.
Though India has a “no first use” policy, which it claims means the country would never use nuclear weapons first, there have been signs it is reconsidering this policy since 2019.
Pakistan has never declared a no first use policy and argues that tactical nuclear weapons are important to countering India’s larger conventional forces.
Details of Indian air strikes.
The concern is that even if a small nuclear exchange were to take place between the two countries, it could kill up to 20 million people in a matter of days.
Why are the countries fighting over Kashmir?
Kashmir has been a source of tension and conflict even before India and Pakistan gained independence from the British empire in 1947. Originally the Muslim-majority Kashmir was free to accede to either India or Pakistan.
While the local ruler (maharaja), Hari Singh, originally wanted Kashmir to be independent, he eventually sided with India, leading to a conflict in 1947. This resulted in a UN-mediated ceasefire in 1949 and agreement that Kashmir would be controlled partly by Pakistan and partly by India, splitl along what’s known as the Line of Surveillance (or Line of Control).
As Kashmir is rich in minerals such as borax, sapphire, graphite, marble, gypsum and lithium, the region is strategically important. It is also culturally and historically important to both Pakistan and India.
Due to the region’s significance and disagreement over sovereignty, multiple conflicts have taken place over Kashmir, with wars erupting in 1965 and 1999. Tensions were renewed in 2016, after 19 Indian soldiers were killed in Uri, on the Indian side of Kashmir. India responded by launching “surgical strikes” across the Line of Control, targeting alleged militant bases.
Then in 2019, a bombing in Pulwama (again part of the Indian-administered Kashmir) that killed more than 40 Indian paramilitary personnel led to Indian airstrikes in Balakot which borders Kashmir. This was the first action inside Pakistan since the Indian-Pakistani conflict in 1971 and again led to retaliatory raids from Pakistan and a brief aerial conflict.
These past conflicts never intensified further in part because India applied a massive diplomatic pressure campaign on the US, the UK and Pakistan, warning against escalation, while Pakistan showed a willingness to back down. Both sides as nuclear powers (India gained nuclear weapons in 1974 and Pakistan in 1998) had an understanding that escalating to full-scale war would be incredibly risky.
What will happen next?
The question is whether or not cooler heads will prevail this time. The strikes by India, part of Operation Sinhoor, were met with mass approval across many political lines in India, with both the ruling Bharatiya Janata party (BJP) and the opposition Congress party voicing their support for the operation.
This helps Modi gain more backing, at a time when his popularity has been falling. Modi and the BJP suffered a shocking result in the 2024 election, losing 63 seats out of 543 seats and falling short of a majority in the Lok Sabha (lower house of parliament).
Under Modi, India has been rapidly becoming more autocratic, another source of concern as such countries are more likely to take risks when it comes to conflict. As power becomes increasingly personalised and dissent is repressed, would-be autocrats may be more likely to take on bold moves to garner more public and elite support.
Pakistan may also have reason to respond with more force to India’s recent attack than in the past. Pakistan’s powerful military has often stoked fears of a conflict with India to justify its enormous military budget. Regardless of the outcome, it needs a success to sell to its domestic audience.
Pakistan has been de facto led by its military for decades, which also makes it more likely to engage in conflict. In spite of intervals of civilian rule, the military has always held a lot of power, and in contrast to India (where there is a wider role for a civilian minister of defence), the Pakistani military has more influence over nuclear and security policy.
Both military regimes and multi-party autocracies may see conflict as a way of gaining legitimacy, particularly if both regimes think their political support is unravelling.
This most recent escalation is also significant because it is the first time in the Kashmir conflict that India has struck at Punjab, considered the heart of Pakistan. Pakistan will face internal pressure to respond, settle the score and restore deterrence.
Both sides have been resolute in not losing an inch of territory. The question is how quickly diplomatic pressure can work. Neither India nor Pakistan are engaged in security dialogue, and there is no bilateral crisis management mechanisms in place.
Further complicating matters is that the US’s role as a crisis manager in south Asia has diminished. Under Donald Trump, Washington cannot be counted on. This all makes deescalating this conflict much more difficult.
Natasha Lindstaedt does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
The UK will continue to pay tribute to the victims of war by pressing for a just and lasting peace in response to conflicts around the world: UK Statement at the UN General Assembly
Statement by Ambassador James Kariuki, UK Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, at the UN General Assembly meeting on the Eightieth anniversary of the end of the Second World War.
Today, we remember the enormous contributions and sacrifices made, and honour the lives lost, in pursuit of peace and security 80 years ago.
Allied forces, united in their mission to liberate Europe from Nazi oppression, were victorious.
But we must never forget the tragic human cost of the Second World War.
Over 70 million lives lost around the world.
And as the world wars begin to fade from living memory, we must ensure the stories of those who lived through and fought in them are remembered by generations to come.
This organisation was founded in the wake of that conflict, to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war, underpinned by a Charter which united the world with the aim of maintaining international peace and security, reaffirming our shared faith in Human Rights, and promoting development.
The United Kingdom remains deeply committed to those principles and to the UN Charter.
In the UN’s 80th year, our shared mission is more important than ever.
The world faces the highest number of conflicts globally since the UN’s inception.
The human costs are rising.
In Europe, security is once again threatened by blatant disrespect for the principles of sovereign equality of States and respect for territorial integrity.
These principles matter for all states.
President, my grandfather served as a British Army officer in France and in Italy during the Second World War. Decades later, even at the height of the Cold War, he spoke warmly of the Soviet forces he had fought alongside to defeat fascism.
Russia’s claims that the Ukrainian government is akin to the regime of the German Nazis is false and malicious propaganda that insults the memory of the Soviet forces who fought and died during the Second World War.
We were called here today for one solemn purpose: to commemorate the victims of the Second World War.
The fact that Russia sees fit to use this meeting to peddle blatant disinformation about is shameful, but it will not distract us.
As my Prime Minister said, this is a time to celebrate hard-won peace, honour the memory of those who lost their lives and remember the sacrifices made by so many to secure our freedom.
The United Kingdom will continue to pay tribute to the victims of war by pressing for a just and lasting peace in response to conflicts around the world.
As we join together today, we encourage all Member States to consider this anniversary a stark reminder that peace cannot be taken for granted.
We must all redouble our efforts to bring about the peace and security the people of the world need and which they deserve.
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
BEIJING, May 7 (Xinhua) — The United States has repeatedly expressed its willingness to hold talks with China recently, and the upcoming meeting between Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng and U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent will be held at the request of the U.S. side, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on Wednesday.
Lin Jian made the statement at a regular press conference, noting that China firmly opposes the US abuse of tariff measures, and China’s position on this issue remains unchanged.
“China will firmly protect its legitimate interests and uphold international fairness and justice,” the Chinese diplomat concluded. -0-
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
ISLAMABAD, May 7 (Xinhua) — Twenty-six people, including women and children, were killed and 46 others were injured in Indian attacks on civilian areas in six districts of Pakistan on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, head of the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the media wing of the Pakistan Army, said at a briefing.
He said India had attacked homes and mosques, targeting civilians in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir and eastern Punjab province.
He confirmed that the Pakistan Air Force had shot down five Indian fighter jets and one drone, the remains of which fell in Indian territory. “None of the Pakistani aircraft entered Indian airspace,” he added.
The ISPR chief said that the Pakistan army hit several posts and a brigade headquarters of the Indian army in a retaliatory strike. –0–
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Moscow, May 7 (Xinhua) — Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin are jointly attending the celebration of the 80th anniversary of the Victory in World War II, demonstrating their political responsibility and firm determination to resist attempts to distort the historical truth, Chinese Ambassador to Russia Zhang Hanhui said in an interview with Xinhua ahead of the Chinese leader’s state visit to Russia.
“More than 80 years ago, the World Anti-Fascist War united peace-loving and justice-loving forces throughout the world and led to a great victory of justice over evil, light over darkness and truth over brute force,” the diplomat noted.
According to him, China and Russia made enormous sacrifices and a significant historical contribution to the victory in the World Anti-Fascist War. The peoples of the two countries fought shoulder to shoulder, cementing an unbreakable great friendship with blood and life, the ambassador emphasized.
“Historical truth must not be distorted, justice must not be trampled,” Zhang Hanhui said. According to him, the leaders of China and Russia will jointly attend the festivities of the 80th anniversary of the Victory not only to remember history and honor the memory of the fallen heroes, but also to take responsibility for the future, demonstrate the firm will and determination of both sides to jointly defend the fruits of the Victory in World War II and uphold international justice.
As the key victors in World War II, the founders of the UN and permanent members of the UN Security Council, China and Russia will vigorously promote the correct view of the history of World War II, jointly protect the post-war international order, advocate for peace and promote global cooperation and development, the diplomat said.
The two countries will also “continuously deepen political mutual trust and strategic cooperation, maintain great comradeship in arms, and jointly promote the building of a community with a shared future for humanity,” Zhang Hanhui stressed. –0–
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Moscow, May 7 (Xinhua) — Chinese President Xi Jinping has called on the international community to unswervingly uphold the historical truth about World War II, resolutely safeguard the post-war international order, and firmly uphold international justice and equality.
The Chinese leader made the call in an opinion piece published Wednesday by Rossiyskaya Gazeta ahead of his arrival in Russia on a state visit and participation in celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the Soviet Union’s victory in the Great Patriotic War.
He noted that China and the Soviet Union became the most reliable supports in the fight against militaristic Japan and Nazi Germany, and made a decisive contribution to the Victory in the World Anti-Fascist War.
Attempts to distort historical facts about World War II and deny its results, and discredit the historical feats of China and the Soviet Union are doomed to failure, Xi Jinping added.
The Chinese leader noted that the establishment of the UN was perhaps the most important decision made by the world community since the end of World War II. The more complex the international situation becomes, the more important it is to protect and ensure the authority of the UN, firmly defend the international system, the core of which remains the UN, the world order based on international law and the basic norms of international relations based on the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, consistently promote the formation of an equal and orderly multipolar world, accessible and inclusive economic globalization, the article says.
Xi Jinping also called on the international community to adhere to the principles of “dialogue instead of confrontation, partnership instead of self-interested blocs, and mutual benefit instead of a zero-sum game.”
It is necessary to follow the path of true multilateralism, take into account the rational interests of various parties, and ensure international rules and order, the article says. –0–
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
BEIJING, May 7 (Xinhua) — China appreciates the Spanish government’s strong focus on developing relations with China and its consistent promotion of practical cooperation and people-to-people exchanges between the two countries, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said Wednesday.
The Chinese diplomat made this statement at a regular briefing, commenting at the request of one of the journalists on the recently published Spanish Foreign Policy Strategy for 2025-2028, which, in particular, emphasizes the need to deepen Spanish-Chinese relations of a comprehensive strategic partnership.
Recalling Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez’s recent visit to China, Lin Jian said the two countries jointly issued an action plan to strengthen their comprehensive strategic partnership and proposed building a comprehensive strategic partnership with greater strategic determination and greater development vigor.
The official representative indicated that, in addition to this, the parties signed a package of documents on cooperation in the areas of economics, trade, education, science and technology, and also achieved important results in cooperation in such areas of the new energy sector as electric vehicles and traction batteries.
China hopes to work with Spain to further deepen open cooperation, especially in areas such as green development, artificial intelligence and digital economy, to improve the well-being of the peoples of both countries and give further impetus to China-EU relations, Lin Jian concluded. –0–
Lusaka, Zambia: Mr. Nigel Clarke, Deputy Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), issued the following statement at the conclusion of his visit to Zambia from May 4-6:
“I would first like to thank H.E. President Hakainde Hichilema, Minister of Finance and National Planning Situmbeko Musokotwane, and Central Bank Governor Denny H. Kalyalya for their warm hospitality and constructive discussions on my first visit to Zambia as Deputy Managing Director of the IMF.
“Progress on Zambia’s economic reform program supported by the IMF’s Extended Credit Facility has been strong, despite repeated external shocks. Since the program was approved in August 2022 and augmented in 2024 (See Press Release 24/242), it has provided critical support—both financial and policy-based—and helped to anchor Zambia’s landmark debt restructuring under the G20 Common Framework and navigate last year’s severe drought.
“Zambia’s remarkable progress has centered on restoring macroeconomic stability, including fiscal and debt sustainability, and implementing reforms. Notable reforms include the removal of fuel subsidies, strengthened debt management, and the roll-out of a reformed agricultural input subsidy—the e-voucher system—which increased competition in input delivery, reduced costs, and supported job creation.
“These achievements have been particularly impressing given the challenging external and domestic environment. In my discussions with the authorities, I also welcomed their commitment to strengthen governance and anti-corruption policies.
“Going forward, the policy environment remains challenging. As in many sub-Saharan African economies, Zambia must navigate weaker global trade, elevated uncertainty, and declining external assistance. Continued reform momentum will be essential to build resilience, mobilize domestic revenues, and create fiscal space to support inclusive growth. Structural reforms to improve productivity and support private sector activity will help boost inclusive growth, delivering the much-needed jobs for Zambia’s vibrant youth.
“I am also grateful for the opportunity to engage with University of Zambia students and faculty, representatives of the private and banking sectors, and Zambia’s development partners. I appreciated the candid discussions on the impact of recent global and domestic economic developments on Zambia and exchanged views on how we can best partner with Zambia on its journey towards a more resilient and inclusive future.
“I leave Zambia optimistic about the country’s future—encouraged by the authorities’ determination to continue on their reform path, and reassured by the Zambian people’s resilience. The IMF remains a close partner in supporting the country’s journey to lift the living standards of the Zambian people.”
On Wednesday, the European Parliament marked the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe in a ceremony in plenary with three veterans.
“Eighty years after the guns fell silent across Europe, we honour the courage of those who fought, and the sacrifice of those who fell. We remember not just the end of a war, but the birth of our Union. The most powerful tribute to those who sacrificed their lives in this war lies not only in remembrance, but in resolve. In our determination to stand together and say, clearly and firmly: never again,” EP President Metsola said.
European Council President António Costa thanked the veterans for their “sacrifice and commitment to peace”, regretting that, today, “we cannot celebrate peace in peace”, after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Mr Costa encouraged the EU member states and their partners to stay united in the face of the Russian aggressor, as the best way to pay homage to those who gave their lives 80 years ago defending freedom. Finally, he reminded European citizens that “peace is a heritage, but also a responsibility”.
Speeches by veterans of war
Three veterans of the war – Mr Robert Chot, a 102-year-old Belgian veteran of the Battle of the Ardennes; Mr Janusz Komorowski a Polish veteran of the liberation of Poland and now 96 years old; and Mr Janusz Maksymowicz, also Polish and now 95 years old, who participated in the Warsaw Uprising – addressed MEPs.
Belgian war veteran Robert Chot said: “80 years ago, the guns fell silent, bringing an end to a terrible battle that caused millions of deaths in Europe and elsewhere. If today we are still living in peace, it is thanks to you and the countries you represent”. Peace is always uncertain, he added. “There are always clouds hanging over us. Let us do what is necessary to ensure that peace endures in Europe”, he declared.
Mr Janusz Komorowski talked about the difficult destiny of Poles who were fighting for freedom and independence and for the right of the Polish nation to exist, in Poland, abroad and during the Warsaw uprising in 1944. “They gave their lives for the freedom of other nations too, in the hope that the brutal force of the peace wreckers would be broken forever. Today, I want to thank that wartime generation, but also the European Parliament for becoming a beacon of peace, freedom and democracy, and for steadfastly defending these values”, he concluded.
Mr Janusz Maksymowicz stressed that the fight for freedom and values had clearly not ended but had taken on new forms. “We know how ruthless ideologies that divide people and nations can be. That is why today we say with full conviction: community is strength. A community of nations that respects the European traditions and cultures of all people who want to live in peace.”
The ceremony was brought to a close with a musical performance of the European anthem by a soprano accompanied by a string ensemble.
Ahead of the plenary event, Presidents Metsola and Costa attended a flag raising and wreath laying ceremony outside of the Parliament building in Strasbourg.
Source: Rosneft – Rosneft – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Volunteers will hand out about 2 million St. George ribbons to visitors of Rosneft filling stations across Russia on May 8 and 9 as part of a large-scale campaign dedicated to the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War. In 20 regions, customers of flagship stations will receive not only ribbons, but also commemorative badges.
Rosneft actively participates in patriotic events that promote civic responsibility and preserve cultural heritage. The company holds hundreds of events throughout Russia that are designed to pass on to the younger generation the historical memory of the immortal feat of our people who liberated the world from fascism.
The Company’s employees traditionally take part in the “St. George’s Ribbon” campaign. This year, the symbol of memory and gratitude to the heroes of the Great Patriotic War has already been received by employees of all Rosneft enterprises and their family members, as well as veterans and schoolchildren. Ribbons were distributed, among other things, as part of various campaigns and events, such as “Victory Vernissage”, “Memory Garden”, “Victory Awards”, “Victory Dictation”, “Victory Marathon”, during excursions to military glory museums and motor rallies.
Also in the coming days, visitors to Rosneft filling stations will be able to listen to songs from the war years – in a unique performance by the Sretensky Monastery Choir: congratulatory video cards with a QR code for listening to pieces from the new music program “Dedicated to the Great Victory” are shown on the screens near the cash registers. This joint project of the Choir and Rosneft is designed to preserve the memory of the heroic events of the Great Patriotic War.
The program includes the best songs from the war years, including: “Katyusha”, “Svyatnaya Voina”, “Ot Heroy Bygone Times”, “Dorogi”, “Proshanie Slavyanki”, “Smuglyanka”, “Nam Nadla Odno Pobedy” and many others. The production is based on real stories about the fates of heroes who walked the miles of war from Moscow to Berlin. These stories are harmoniously intertwined with great music and poetry of wartime and connect historical memory with the life of a modern person. The tour program includes concerts in 24 cities in the regions where Rosneft operates, and will end on July 3 with a concert in Sochi.
During the Victory Day celebrations, a field kitchen will also be set up on the territory of a number of Rosneft gas stations, themed photo zones will be organized, an exhibition of civilian vehicles from the 1940s will be held, and artists will perform songs from the war years.
Reference:
The retail network of NK Rosneft is the largest in the Russian Federation in terms of geographic coverage and number of stations. It covers 62 regions of Russia and includes about 3,000 stations.
Department of Information and Advertising of PJSC NK Rosneft May 7, 2025
Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Moscow, May 7 /Xinhua/ — Chinese President Xi Jinping said that the deep friendship forged by the blood of the two peoples in the World Anti-Fascist War provides an inexhaustible source of energy for passing on the deep feeling of mutual sympathy between China and Russia from generation to generation.
He made this statement in an opinion piece published on Wednesday in Rossiyskaya Gazeta on the eve of his arrival in Russia on a state visit and participation in the celebration of the 80th anniversary of the Soviet Union’s victory in the Great Patriotic War.
Xi Jinping recalled that the current year is marked by the 80th anniversary of the Chinese people’s victory in the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, the Soviet Union’s victory in the Great Patriotic War, and the victory in the World Anti-Fascist War. This year also marks the 80th anniversary of the UN. The Chinese leader noted that he, together with the heroic Russian people, honors the memory of the past and bows his head low before the fallen heroes.
According to him, all those who performed a great feat for the sake of victory in the World Anti-Fascist War, from privates to generals, will never be forgotten. The World Anti-Fascist War testified to the military brotherhood, mutual assistance and support of the peoples of China and Russia, the PRC Chairman added.
According to him, 80 years ago, the world’s forces of justice, including China and the USSR, united in the name of a brave fight against a common enemy and won a victory over the ferocious fascists.
“Today, 80 years later, unilateralism, hegemonism and bullying are causing serious harm, all of which are pushing humanity to a crossroads once again. Where to go next, what to choose: solidarity or division, dialogue or confrontation, win-win or zero-sum game?” Xi Jinping raises this question in his article.
He noted that it is important to preserve historical memory, lessons from World War II should be learned. The results of the great victory in the World Anti-Fascist War should serve as a source of minds and energy for the fight against hegemony and power politics in all its manifestations, for the sake of a bright and beautiful future for humanity. –0–
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
NEW DELHI, May 7 (Xinhua) — At least three civilians were killed and several others injured on Wednesday in clashes between Indian and Pakistani troops along the International Border and Line of Control dividing Kashmir, officials said.
On the night of 6-7 May 2025, the Pakistan Army resorted to indiscriminate firing, including shelling, from positions across the Line of Control and the International Border in Jammu and Kashmir. Three innocent civilians were killed as a result of the indiscriminate firing and shelling, the Indian side said in a statement. “The Indian Army is responding proportionately,” the document added.
Three civilians were reportedly killed in Poonch district, about 185 km southwest of Srinagar, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir.
Wednesday marked the 13th consecutive day that ceasefire violations were recorded along the Line of Control in Kashmir.
Early on Wednesday, Indian forces struck nine targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-controlled Kashmir. –0–
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
BEIJING, May 7 (Xinhua) — The United States has repeatedly expressed its willingness to hold talks with China recently, and the upcoming meeting between Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng and U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent will be held at the request of the U.S. side, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on Wednesday.
Lin Jian made the statement at a regular press conference, noting that China firmly opposes the US abuse of tariff measures, and China’s position on this issue remains unchanged.
“China will firmly protect its legitimate interests and uphold international fairness and justice,” the Chinese diplomat concluded. -0-
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Xinhua | 07. 05. 2025
Key words: China, a separate brochure, Chairman of the People’s Republic of China, CPC, Xi Jinping, Federation of Trade Unions, anniversary of the establishment, occasion, Jinping, honoring excellent workers, advanced workers of the country, Xinhua bookstores, year of the ceremonial meeting, text of the speech, Secretary of the Central Committee, Renmin Chubanshe, the whole country
BEIJING, May 7 (Xinhua) — The text of the speech delivered by Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, at a grand gathering on April 28 to mark the 100th anniversary of the founding of the All-China Federation of Trade Unions and to honor the country’s outstanding workers and advanced workers, has been published as a separate pamphlet in China.
The booklet was published by People’s Daily and is available at Xinhua bookstores nationwide. -0-
Source: Xinhua
Xi Jinping’s Speech on the Occasion of the 100th Anniversary of the Founding of the All-China Federation of Trade Unions Published as a Separate Pamphlet in China Xi Jinping’s Speech on the Occasion of the 100th Anniversary of the Founding of the All-China Federation of Trade Unions Published as a Separate Pamphlet in China
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Moscow, May 7 /Xinhua/ – China and Russia, which won the great Victory with enormous sacrifices, will never give it up to anyone, said Galina Kulikova, First Deputy Chairperson of the Board of the Russian-Chinese Friendship Society (RCFS), recipient of the Order of Friendship of the People’s Republic of China.
“Since 1931, China has been fighting against Japan, which means it was holding back Japan’s forces when Germany attacked the Soviet Union. If China had not waged such a heroic fight, Japan could have sided with Germany and started a war on the Eastern Front. That would have been very bad for us,” she said.
According to her, the USSR helped China in the heroic struggle of the Chinese people against Japanese aggression, but China, despite the difficult years of struggle, held Japan back. “China sent the USSR both food and some rare metals that were needed for the front… and our pilots defended the skies of China. Therefore, we have every reason to say that the 80th anniversary of the Victory is the victory of Russia and China over world fascism,” the deputy chairwoman of the ORKD emphasized.
For G. Kulikova, that war is not just history. It is also her personal experience, personal memories. “I myself belong to the generation of children of war, because I was very young when the war began. I remember Moscow on the defensive, I remember Moscow being bombed. I myself spent the night at the Mayakovskaya metro station with my mother and grandmother, because my father went to the front,” she said.
According to her, friendship born in battle is the strongest friendship. Friendship born during the war is strong, it continues and develops. –0–
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Moscow, May 7 (Xinhua) — Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday called on China and Russia to jointly resist any attempts to undermine the friendship and mutual trust between the two sides.
The Chinese leader made the call in an opinion piece published Wednesday by Rossiyskaya Gazeta ahead of his arrival in Russia on a state visit and participation in celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the Soviet Union’s victory in the Great Patriotic War.
China and Russia are significant powers that wield significant influence in the world and make constructive contributions to maintaining global strategic stability and improving global governance, the article says.
Chinese-Russian relations, he said, have a clear historical logic, a powerful internal driver and a deep cultural foundation.
Bilateral relations are not directed against third parties and are not subject to their influence, the article says.
Xi Jinping also noted that the parties should, without being distracted by momentary issues and opportunistic situations, jointly promote a multipolar world and build a community with a common future for mankind, relying on the certainty and sustainability of Chinese-Russian strategic interaction. –0–
