Author: Admin

BEIJING — While President Donald Trump implements tariffs against various nations, China is seizing the opportunity to restructure international commerce in ways that could shield its $19 trillion economy from American influence for decades to come.

According to a Reuters investigation, Beijing is taking advantage of the disruption caused by Trump’s policies to integrate China’s massive manufacturing sector into major economic partnerships worldwide, including deals with the European Union, Gulf nations, and trans-Pacific trading groups. This strategy involves fast-tracking approximately 20 trade agreements that have been under development for years, despite global concerns about China’s excess production capacity, limited market openness, and weak domestic consumer spending.

An analysis of 100 Chinese-language publications by government-supported trade experts since 2017 shows a coordinated effort by China’s policy consultants to counter U.S. trade strategies and undermine Washington’s efforts to limit Chinese economic influence.

China is now implementing this strategy. The agreement signed with Canada during Prime Minister Mark Carney’s January trip to Beijing — reducing tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles — represents the first of multiple deals designed to diminish U.S. economic leverage, according to conversations with 10 sources including Chinese government representatives and trade officials.

“Don’t interrupt your opponent when he is making a mistake,” commented one Chinese official regarding Trump’s disruptive trade policies.

The analysis, based on more than 2,000 trade strategy documents endorsed by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and Peking University, which provide guidance to senior leadership, demonstrates that policy experts widely believe that difficult structural adjustments are worthwhile for China’s long-term control of international trade. These document contents are being disclosed publicly for the first time.

If Beijing succeeds, it could overturn more than ten years of American trade policy by positioning itself as the center of a new, Chinese-influenced multilateral system, according to two Western diplomatic sources.

“The Chinese have a golden opportunity now,” stated Alicia Garcia Herrero, senior fellow at the Bruegel think tank.

China’s commerce ministry did not respond to requests for comment regarding Beijing’s approach.

When asked about China’s strategy, a U.S. official told Reuters it was predictable that nations with significant trade surpluses would try to preserve globalization.

“President Trump is fixing the problems globalization caused for the United States while other countries are trying to double down on globalization as free market access to the United States goes away,” the official stated.

BUILDING PARTNERSHIPS

The change in China’s messaging reflects its strategic thinking. Twelve months ago, Beijing was using military-style rhetoric, referencing Mao Zedong and China’s resistance against Western forces during the Korean War.

Currently, as China prepares for Trump’s April visit, its diplomats are traveling globally, encouraging trade partners to join in protecting multilateral cooperation and open commerce.

In January, China sent its senior diplomat to small nation Lesotho — initially targeted by Trump with a 50% tariff — to promise development assistance. On Saturday, state media announced China would eliminate tariffs on imports from 53 African nations. Meanwhile, China is promoting AI-enhanced customs technology to neighboring countries and working to modernize digital infrastructure supporting international trade.

These actions highlight an objective outlined in policy documents: to integrate China so thoroughly into global trade networks that partners cannot afford to disconnect under U.S. pressure.

“In countering U.S. strategic competition with China, ‘anti-decoupling’ should become China’s primary focus,” wrote Ni Feng, fellow at CASS’s Institute of American Studies, in 2024.

Chinese representatives are now working to expedite delayed trade negotiations. Since 2017, China has been in discussions with nations including Honduras, Panama, Peru, South Korea and Switzerland.

“We are willing to negotiate bilateral and regional trade and investment agreements with interested countries and regions,” commerce ministry spokesperson He Yongqian told Reuters during Carney’s visit, without providing details.

China’s foreign minister Wang Yi caught European negotiators off guard in November by suggesting a free-trade agreement with Brussels during discussions with his Estonian counterpart.

One month later, Wang urged the Gulf Cooperation Council to finalize ongoing free-trade negotiations. In January, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer agreed with Chinese leader Xi Jinping to begin a feasibility study for a services trade agreement that could lower barriers for British companies. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has announced plans to pursue “strategic partnerships” with China during an upcoming trip.

China’s commerce minister Wang Wentao has made membership in the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) a top priority. This agreement originated from the U.S.-supported Trans-Pacific Partnership, created partly to counter China before Washington withdrew in 2017.

However, China’s massive trade surplus complicates these efforts. Some member nations worry Chinese manufacturers might use improved market access to export excess low-cost products while China’s domestic consumption remains weak.

Wendy Cutler, chief negotiator during the Obama administration for the Trans-Pacific Partnership, recognized Beijing’s opportunity to promote trade and multilateralism but emphasized China needed to move beyond rhetoric.

“And with its huge trade imbalances, as well as some of the coercive measures it’s now taking against countries like Japan, it’s hard to see how they’re walking the walk,” Cutler told Reuters.

A senior European trade diplomat characterized Beijing’s proposals as “pure Chinese propaganda,” stating Brussels had no intentions for a trade agreement.

Chinese advisers remain determined. Speaking to Reuters, one referenced the EU and China’s landmark 2020 investment agreement negotiated during Trump’s first presidency. However, the deal was suspended in 2021 before implementation due to disputes over human-rights sanctions.

STRATEGIC INSIGHTS

Some Chinese advisers argue in the documents that Beijing should examine how Washington has “weaponized” international organizations to contain China, and take advantage of opportunities created by Trump’s willingness to abandon or marginalize multilateral institutions like the World Trade Organization.

Others suggest Beijing should concentrate on shaping global standards in areas such as intellectual property through programs like Xi’s Belt and Road initiative and China’s participation in the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, covering approximately 30% of worldwide GDP.

China is now implementing these strategies.

Its recently enhanced agreement with Southeast Asian nations, for instance, emphasizes AI-driven and digital commerce, where China aims to establish early dominance.

China’s customs processing vision is demonstrated at its “Friendship Port” on the Vietnamese border, where state media reports domestically-developed AI technology has reduced waiting times by 20%, enabling faster deliveries. Reuters could not independently confirm this claim.

MASSIVE TRADE SURPLUS

The challenges that China’s $1.2 trillion trade surplus creates for trading partners’ manufacturing industries are difficult to ignore.

Pascal Lamy, former WTO director-general and EU trade commissioner, said Chinese companies are exporting more goods to Europe than the region can handle.

“It’s a mystery how, given the nature of the regime, given the sort of collective cleverness, how is it that they have not succeeded in rebalancing their economic model?” he stated.

Not everyone views closer Chinese relationships as the best method to reduce U.S. dependence.

Stephen Nagy, China project lead at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute in Ottawa, said Carney’s tariff-reduction agreement with Xi appears intended to create negotiating power before discussions over the U.S.-Mexico-Canada (USMCA) trade agreement.

“I think his bet is wrong,” he added, predicting Trump would not be influenced.

Carney has stated Canada honors its USMCA commitment to avoid free-trade agreements with non-market economies. His office did not respond to comment requests.

Mexico, meanwhile, is cautious about risking U.S. market access by developing closer Chinese ties.

“We see no need for a free-trade agreement with China right now,” said a Mexican trade official. “We are already in the CPTPP and have 60% of world GDP covered.”

Beijing’s trade partners genuinely need China to boost its consumer spending, said Fred Neumann, chief economist for Asia Pacific at HSBC.

Wang, China’s commerce minister, has stated that increasing imports is a priority as Beijing prepares to unveil its next five-year plan in March, consistent with commitments to raise consumption’s portion of GDP.

But economic rebalancing is a long-term undertaking. Trump has three years remaining in office, and the following administration could return to building coalitions to contain China.

China must “study in depth the logic of U.S. actions within international institutions and the possible next steps it may take to better respond to increasingly fierce strategic offensives in the future,” Zhao Pu, then at Renmin University and now a researcher at CASS’s Institute of American Studies, wrote in 2023.

SEOUL, South Korea — Ousted South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol appeared in a Seoul courtroom Thursday to learn whether he’ll face the ultimate punishment for rebellion charges connected to his failed martial law declaration.

The charges stem from what experts call South Korea’s worst political upheaval in decades, when Yoon declared martial law and deployed military forces to encircle the national legislature on December 3, 2024.

Prosecutors are pushing for capital punishment against Yoon, arguing his actions threatened the nation’s democratic foundations and warrant the harshest available penalty.

However, legal experts widely anticipate a life imprisonment sentence instead, noting that Yoon’s bungled power seizure didn’t lead to deaths. The country hasn’t carried out an execution since 1997, maintaining what’s effectively a freeze on death sentences while abolition advocates push for reform.

Seoul Central District Court Judge Jee Kui-youn was scheduled to announce the ruling and punishment Thursday.

Outside the courthouse, competing demonstrations unfolded as Yoon’s transport arrived under heavy police presence. His backers voiced support while opponents demanded his execution.

The court will simultaneously decide cases against seven former military and law enforcement leaders accused of implementing Yoon’s martial law order, including former Defense Minister Kim Yong Hyun.

The conservative leader has justified his martial law declaration as essential to counter liberal opposition lawmakers he branded as “anti-state” forces blocking his political agenda through their parliamentary control.

The emergency order survived roughly six hours before collapsing when enough legislators broke through military barriers and voted unanimously to overturn it.

Parliament suspended Yoon from his presidency on December 14, 2024, following his impeachment, and the Constitutional Court officially ousted him in April 2025. He’s remained in custody since July while battling various criminal cases, with the rebellion charge carrying the severest potential consequences.

A separate court handed Yoon a five-year prison term last month for resisting detention, creating fraudulent martial law documents, and bypassing required Cabinet consultations before announcing the measure.

Seoul Central Court has also found two of Yoon’s Cabinet officials guilty, including Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, who received 23 years behind bars for trying to validate the decree through forced Cabinet approval, document falsification, and perjury. Han is challenging that conviction.

KITENGELA, Kenya — In the classrooms of an innovative Kenyan institution, traditional teaching methods have been completely transformed. Rare Gem Talent School has revolutionized education by replacing standard lectures with interactive, sensory-based instruction specifically designed for students living with dyslexia.

While Kenya has made significant strides in expanding educational opportunities, children with learning differences often struggle to keep pace in conventional settings. Rare Gem represents one of only a few educational facilities nationwide that caters specifically to youngsters facing dyslexia and similar learning obstacles, requiring only minor adjustments to standard academic programs.

Research shows dyslexia impacts approximately 10% of all students and creates significant barriers to developing reading skills. Without proper support, this condition could sideline enormous numbers of young people throughout Kenya and the broader African continent.

Student Jason Malak Atati experienced firsthand the difference specialized instruction can make. “Teachers didn’t understand me,” he explained about his previous educational experience. “This school is much better.”

Dennis Omari, who specializes in teaching students with special needs, explained that dyslexic children typically struggle with fundamental literacy skills, often confusing letters such as ‘b’ and ‘p’ or even numbers like ‘9.’ “The early signs to look out for are if children have issues with phonological awareness — not able to listen to exact sounds in a particular language — and when kids fail to read,” Omari noted.

The school tackles these obstacles through what Omari describes as a comprehensive sensory-based teaching strategy, with instructors focusing on different learning preferences. Methods include visual techniques like assigning specific colors to represent different sounds, audio approaches such as teaching spelling through musical patterns, and hands-on activities using physical objects to demonstrate how words are built.

Dorothy Kioko, an instructor at the facility, emphasized the personalized nature of their teaching philosophy. “You teach step by step until the learner gets what you’re teaching, not a lecture method where the teacher stands in front,” she said. “You have to have additional knowledge on how to handle them with patience.”

The institution was established in 2012 by the Dyslexia Organisation Kenya, beginning operations with fewer than 10 pupils. Currently, the school serves approximately 210 students, primarily those with dyslexia, while also supporting children with additional learning differences including autism.

Phyllis Munyi, who founded Rare Gem after witnessing her own son’s struggles with unaddressed dyslexia, stressed the importance of early intervention. “If they are identified early and intervention given early, they improve their skills and learn to identify their talents — and they complete school,” she stated.

Families pay tuition costs of $180 per semester, which falls below fees charged by elite private institutions but remains considerably more expensive than government-funded schools that serve most Kenyan students.

According to Munyi, the primary obstacles preventing children from accessing specialized education like that offered at Rare Gem include social stigma and insufficient awareness, particularly among parents. Additionally, many students arrive having endured harassment at their former schools.

Geoffrey Karani, a Rare Gem graduate who now works as an art instructor there, recalled his own difficult experiences. “In other, normal schools, there was a lot of discrimination, a lot of bullying,” he shared. Karani views mentoring as essential to his current role. “I’m not only teaching, I’m showing kids that I’ve been on the same journey,” he explained.

Kenya has achieved remarkable progress in educational expansion over recent decades, with primary school enrollment climbing from 5.9 million students in 2002 to 10.2 million in 2023—growth that has exceeded population increases.

However, educational opportunities for students with disabilities continue to lag significantly. Despite 11.4% of Kenyan children having special needs, only 250,000 such students participate in the nation’s educational system, according to data from So They Can, a nonprofit organization working to expand educational access across Africa.

Rare Gem potentially demonstrates how to broaden educational access without requiring extensive curriculum overhauls. Rather than creating entirely new academic content, the school adapts Kenya’s standard curriculum to better serve students with dyslexia and other learning challenges, Munyi explained. She emphasized: “The curriculum was not designed as a standalone … nor is it limited to dyslexia.”

KABUL, Afghanistan — A small child struggles as medical staff place an oxygen mask over his face, the green strap wrapping around his hollow cheeks. The 2½-year-old boy has been battling for survival in a Kabul hospital for weeks.

At just 13 pounds — roughly half his healthy weight — severely undernourished Abu Bakar represents one of the fortunate few: his family managed to bring him to Indira Gandhi Children’s Hospital in Kabul for critical medical intervention.

However, countless other starving children cannot access such care.

“We have a catastrophic nutritional crisis on our hands with two-thirds of the country in a very serious or crisis level for acute malnutrition,” said John Aylieff, Afghanistan Country Director for the United Nations’ World Food Program. “This is the highest surge in malnutrition ever recorded in the country. And the lives of 4 million children are hanging in the balance.”

Following decades of warfare, Afghanistan has depended heavily on international assistance. However, when the Taliban seized control in 2021, direct foreign support ceased almost immediately, plunging millions deeper into destitution and starvation. The crisis has worsened due to economic collapse, prolonged drought, two major earthquakes in late 2025, and the deportation of 5.3 million Afghans primarily from Pakistan and Iran.

Currently, reduced funding to relief organizations, including suspended U.S. support for programs like the WFP’s food assistance, has eliminated crucial support for countless people.

“The aid cuts have been devastating,” Aylieff told The Associated Press. Regarding the 4 million severely malnourished children, “we are forced now to turn away three out of four of them because we simply don’t have the money.”

He described this situation as “unprecedented and I’ve never seen this in my more than 30-year-old career as a humanitarian.”

Among 17.4 million people experiencing severe hunger, the organization can currently assist only 2 million. Even those receiving help get reduced food portions.

International donors are stretching limited resources across multiple global emergencies, including Sudan’s famine and conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine. The WFP’s Afghanistan budget reached $600 million in 2024 following “very generous” donor contributions, Aylieff noted.

That amount dropped by half last year, with expectations of receiving even less — approximately $200 million — this year. This funding proves insufficient to address hunger that “is spiraling out of control,” he explained.

Abu Bakar’s family experienced this aid reduction firsthand.

“We once received assistance from an organization that helped us a lot with food,” said his mother, Latifa, 36, who, like many Afghans, goes by one name. However, that support ended three years ago, leaving them with nothing since.

Her construction worker husband has remained jobless for a year. Sometimes, she has absolutely nothing to feed her five sons.

“I am trying to provide food for my kids,” Latifa said, cradling her emaciated toddler in her arms. She doesn’t care if she doesn’t eat, she says. “I can control my hunger. I will handle it. But my child can’t.”

Rising hunger correlates with increased child deaths, Aylieff reported, with the WFP documenting over 500 child fatalities in recent months. He emphasized this figure represents “the tip of the iceberg” since many winter deaths occur in snow-blocked villages and go unreported.

“How many more Afghan children will die here before the world wakes up and realizes that that’s enough? Aylieff asked. “Before the world says, ‘OK, we’ve crossed a threshold, we are not willing to stand by anymore, and we’re coming now to help.’ How many? What is the number? I really don’t know.”

Sharara, 21, struggles to save her 6-month-old son Samir from joining those statistics.

Traveling from remote Badakhshan province, the mother of two moved between hospitals there and in Kunduz as medical staff worked to treat her critically ill infant, who suffers from cardiac issues and severe pneumonia worsened by malnutrition.

Finally reaching Kabul’s Ataturk Hospital malnutrition ward, Sharara, who also uses one name, remains deeply concerned.

“Doctors say his condition is currently critical,” she explained. During Samir’s 13-day hospitalization, he hasn’t gained any weight.

Afghanistan’s leadership acknowledges the nation’s hunger emergency and has increased malnutrition treatment centers from 800 to approximately 3,200, Health Ministry spokesman Sharafat Zaman informed the AP. During 2025, about 3 million malnourished children and mothers received treatment, he reported.

“Malnutrition is not a one-day problem. Malnutrition has been a problem in Afghanistan for decades due to poverty, war and other problems,” said Zaman, who is also a medical doctor.

Government officials have engaged with aid organizations, he noted, including those reducing funding or halting operations.

“Health is separate from politics. Providing health services is an inalienable right for all people,” Zaman said.

Women face particularly severe hunger impacts. Prohibited from most employment by the Taliban government’s strict women’s restrictions, widowed mothers are extremely vulnerable.

Many express such desperation they wish for death.

“As WFP, we’re getting more and more suicide calls from women because they just don’t know how to feed their children and they don’t know where to turn,” the WFP country director said.

WFP nutrition programs report a 30% surge in severely malnourished pregnant and nursing mothers, an increase Aylieff said nutrition experts had never witnessed before.

“These are the women to whom the world pledged unwavering solidarity in the aftermath of the takeover of the country in 2021. … Those same women are asking us, where is the solidarity of the international community?” Aylieff said.

“If I had one plea, it’s to not walk away from Afghan women who are now facing abject misery, hunger, malnutrition and watching their children die.”

SEOUL, South Korea — North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un showcased 50 new missile launch vehicles during a military ceremony this week, displaying his country’s growing nuclear threat against South Korea just before a significant ruling party gathering.

Kim’s sister, a senior foreign policy adviser, issued a separate statement acknowledging South Korea’s apology for alleged civilian drone flights over North Korean territory, while warning that the North will strengthen border defenses against what she called the “enemy” South.

Diplomatic ties between the two Koreas have remained frozen since 2019, following the collapse of nuclear negotiations between Kim and then-U.S. President Donald Trump over sanctions disputes. Tensions have escalated further as Kim abandoned North Korea’s historic commitment to peaceful reunification, instead promoting a hostile “two-state” approach that may be formally adopted during the upcoming Workers’ Party congress.

Official photographs revealed multiple launcher vehicles positioned outside the April 25th House of Culture, the same location where party congresses took place in 2016 and 2021.

According to the Korean Central News Agency, these vehicles operate 600-millimeter rocket launcher systems. Military analysts note that North Korea’s heavy artillery rockets function similarly to short-range ballistic missiles due to their self-propelled guidance systems. These weapons form part of Kim’s expanding arsenal of nuclear-capable short-range arms intended to overwhelm South Korean missile defense networks.

During his address, Kim described the “wonderful” rocket launchers as featuring artificial intelligence and sophisticated guidance systems designed for “strategic mission” purposes — language typically indicating nuclear capabilities. He announced that the forthcoming congress would outline new strategies to enhance his nuclear-armed forces, which already possess various weapons targeting U.S. regional allies and intercontinental missiles potentially capable of striking American territory.

Kim Yo Jong stated she “highly assesses” South Korean Unification Minister Chung Dong-young’s apology concerning the alleged drone incidents, but warned of forceful retaliation if similar flights occur again. She confirmed plans to enhance military surveillance along the inter-Korean border.

“The border with an enemy state should naturally be firm,” she said.

Minister Chung announced Wednesday that Seoul was exploring the restoration of a suspended 2018 inter-Korean military agreement aimed at reducing border tensions, including establishment of a no-fly zone, as measures to prevent future drone incidents.

Last month, North Korea issued retaliation threats after claiming South Korea conducted surveillance drone operations in September and January. While Seoul’s government has denied official drone activities during those periods, law enforcement officials are investigating three civilians suspected of operating drones over North Korean territory from border regions.

DHAKA, Bangladesh – The newly installed Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Tarique Rahman, has committed to keeping food costs under control during Ramadan while working to restore order and rebuild the country’s economy after his party’s overwhelming election win.

The 60-year-old Rahman, whose father was the late President Ziaur Rahman and whose mother is former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, took the oath of office on Tuesday. He inherits a nation facing significant hurdles, including the need to restore political calm, regain investor trust, and revitalize crucial sectors like textile manufacturing following the 2024 unrest that toppled Sheikh Hasina’s administration.

During a broadcast to the nation on Wednesday evening, Rahman offered greetings for the beginning of Ramadan and cautioned merchants against taking advantage of consumers. Food staples including rice, cooking oil, sugar and lentils often see price spikes during the holy month as demand increases.

“Ramadan is a month of self-purification. This period should not increase public hardship,” Rahman said. “Do not treat Ramadan as a month for profit. Ensure essential goods remain affordable.”

The new leader’s comments address ongoing concerns about rising costs. The country’s yearly inflation rate reached 8.58% in January 2026, marking the highest level since May 2025, as food expenses continue pressuring family finances.

Rahman announced his administration would break up market cartels that take advantage of consumers and strengthen protections for both purchasers and vendors.

Establishing better law enforcement and implementing tough anti-corruption policies will top his government’s agenda, he stated. “The rule of law will be the final word in governing the state — not party influence, political power or coercion.”

The prime minister additionally revealed intentions to modernize and expand the country’s railroad system and enhance cooperation between transportation departments to build a unified transit network designed to reduce urban congestion and improve connections throughout the nation.

GENEVA — Diplomatic representatives from Russia and Ukraine wrapped up their latest round of American-facilitated negotiations Wednesday without achieving a major breakthrough, with both delegations characterizing the discussions as challenging as the war nears its fourth anniversary.

The Swiss meetings marked the third series of direct discussions coordinated by the United States, following earlier sessions this year in Abu Dhabi that officials called productive despite yielding limited concrete results. Going into the Geneva talks, anticipation for substantial advancement remained modest.

“The negotiations were not easy,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated following the conclusion of talks, speaking by telephone from Kyiv with his diplomatic team.

Zelenskyy previously charged Russia with “trying to drag out negotiations” while continuing its military campaign — a claim he and European officials have consistently voiced before.

Nevertheless, Zelenskyy indicated some advancement occurred regarding military matters, though significant political gaps persist, particularly concerning the fate of eastern Ukrainian territory currently under Russian military control that President Vladimir Putin seeks to retain.

Vladimir Medinsky, who leads Russia’s delegation and serves as a Putin advisor, informed journalists that the two-day Geneva discussions “were difficult but businesslike.”

Kremlin representative Dmitry Peskov advised reporters it remains “too early” to assess the talks’ results. Putin has been receiving updates about the Geneva proceedings, Peskov noted.

Representatives from both nations confirmed plans for additional negotiating sessions.

Regarding military aspects, Zelenskyy characterized those conversations as “constructive,” noting that both countries’ armed forces examined potential monitoring mechanisms for any future ceasefire agreement.

“Monitoring will definitely be carried out with participation of the American side,” he stated in an audio message distributed through a WhatsApp media group.

Steve Witkoff, President Donald Trump’s special envoy, posted on social media that Washington’s diplomatic efforts toward Ukrainian peace over recent months have “brought about meaningful progress,” though he provided no additional details.

Military forces from both nations continue engaging along the approximately 1,250-kilometer (750-mile) battle zone, while Russia maintains daily bombardments of Ukrainian civilian locations.

Following Tuesday’s initial negotiating session, Russian drone attacks killed one woman and wounded both a 6-year-old girl and an 18-month-old child in Zaporizhzhia, a southern Ukrainian city, according to local authorities.

During the night, Russia deployed one ballistic missile and 126 extended-range drones against Ukraine, Ukrainian air force officials reported.

Zelenskyy revealed that Ukrainian and American negotiators in Geneva conducted meetings with officials from the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy and Switzerland.

European involvement in diplomatic efforts remains “indispensable,” Zelenskyy emphasized.

European officials, recognizing Putin’s broader territorial ambitions, maintain their security depends on Ukraine’s outcome and have demanded inclusion in peace initiatives.

Russia and Ukraine continue displaying substantial disagreement over settlement conditions.

While Zelenskyy has proposed a ceasefire arrangement and direct discussions with Putin, Moscow demands a complete agreement prior to any truce commitment.

Putin maintains the objectives he announced when Russia began its invasion on Feb. 24, 2022: Ukraine must abandon NATO membership aspirations, significantly reduce military forces, and safeguard Russian language and cultural interests to maintain the country within Moscow’s sphere of influence.

Putin also demands Ukrainian military withdrawal from four eastern regions Moscow occupies but doesn’t completely control.

Zelenskyy maintains Ukraine will not cede territory to Russia.

Sources close to the matter reveal that Germany is exploring the acquisition of additional U.S.-manufactured F-35 fighter aircraft, a decision that would strengthen Berlin’s military ties with America while its collaborative European fighter initiative with France struggles to move forward.

According to two informed sources, German officials are engaged in discussions that could result in purchasing more than 35 extra jets. This would supplement the 35 aircraft Berlin ordered in 2022, with deliveries scheduled to commence later this year.

The possible procurement of additional Lockheed Martin stealth aircraft, each carrying a price tag exceeding $80 million, comes amid Washington’s push for European NATO members to boost their defense expenditures.

Should Germany proceed with all potential F-35 acquisitions alongside existing contracts, the nation’s fleet could reach approximately 85 aircraft. However, sources emphasize that the final decision remains undetermined.

Germany’s Defense Ministry has not provided immediate response to inquiries, while Pentagon officials directed questions back to German authorities. A Lockheed Martin representative stated the company remains focused on fulfilling Germany’s current F-35 orders.

Parliamentary sources indicated in October that Germany’s defense minister planned to order 15 additional F-35s, with an announcement expected in the near future, according to one source.

Growing Germany’s F-35 inventory would represent a notable strategic pivot toward enhanced military cooperation with the United States, moving away from European defense independence that France, a fellow EU member, strongly advocates.

Berlin and Paris find themselves at an impasse regarding their Future Combat Air System (FCAS) initiative, a troubled 100-billion-euro undertaking launched in 2017 to develop next-generation aircraft replacing French, German, and Spanish jets beginning in 2040. The emerging situation suggests both nations may ultimately abandon the FCAS effort.

Germany’s commitment to expanding its F-35 capabilities would carry significant implications for NATO, as the aircraft serves a crucial function in the alliance’s nuclear deterrent strategy.

Additional F-35 purchases would provide Germany breathing room to determine its approach to developing or partnering on future aircraft programs.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz raised questions Wednesday about whether his nation’s air force still requires a piloted sixth-generation fighter jet, as FCAS has attempted to create.

“Will we still need a manned fighter jet in 20 years’ time? Do we still need it, given that we will have to develop it at great expense?” Merz stated during Wednesday’s Machtwechsel podcast.

Germany’s 2022 F-35 purchase decision stemmed from NATO requirements to deploy U.S. nuclear weapons housed in Germany when necessary. The F-35 remains the sole Western fighter aircraft authorized to carry the latest B61 nuclear weapons and is essential for replacing Germany’s outdated Tornado jets currently performing this mission.

While defense insiders anticipate Germany and France will discontinue their joint fighter project, they expect continued collaboration on unmanned systems and digital warfare capabilities.

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius indicated last week that FCAS’s future would be determined within days.

WASHINGTON — Secretary of State Marco Rubio will journey to Israel next week for discussions with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu regarding ongoing U.S.-Iran nuclear negotiations, according to two Trump administration officials.

The meeting between Rubio and Netanyahu is scheduled for Feb. 28, the officials revealed Wednesday while requesting anonymity since the travel arrangements haven’t been formally announced.

The United States and Iran have conducted two rounds of indirect negotiations concerning the Islamic Republic’s nuclear activities. Representatives from both nations have expressed cautious hope about potential progress this week, with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stating that “a new window has opened” for achieving an agreement.

“In some ways, it went well,” U.S. Vice President JD Vance commented about the discussions during a Tuesday Fox News Channel interview. “But in other ways, it was very clear that the president has set some red lines that the Iranians are not yet willing to actually acknowledge and work through.”

Netanyahu traveled to the White House last week to press President Donald Trump to guarantee that any nuclear agreement with Iran would also address Tehran’s ballistic missile capabilities and halt its support for proxy organizations like Hamas and Hezbollah.

Trump is considering military strikes against Tehran while the administration increases military presence in the region, sparking worries that any assault could escalate into broader Middle Eastern warfare.

During a Friday press briefing, Trump told journalists that regime change in Iran “seems like that would be the best thing that could happen.” He continued, “For 47 years, they’ve been talking and talking and talking.”

The Trump administration has sent the USS Gerald R. Ford, the globe’s largest aircraft carrier, from Caribbean waters to the Middle East to accompany a second carrier along with additional warships and military equipment already positioned in the area.

Numerous U.S. fighter aircraft, including F-35s, F-22s and F-16s, have departed American and European installations in recent days bound for the Middle East, the Military Air Tracking Alliance reports. This organization consists of approximately 30 open-source intelligence specialists who regularly monitor military and government aviation movements.

The group indicates it has also documented more than 85 refueling tankers and over 170 transport aircraft moving toward the region.

Steffan Watkins, a Canada-based researcher and MATA member, reported observing support aircraft including six military early-warning E-3 planes heading to a Saudi Arabian installation.

These aircraft serve crucial roles in coordinating large-scale aviation operations. According to Watkins, they were relocated from installations in Japan, Germany and Hawaii.

Russia’s top diplomat issued a stern warning Wednesday against potential American military action targeting Iran, cautioning that such strikes could trigger severe repercussions across the region.

Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov made his remarks during a televised interview with Saudi Arabia’s Al-Arabiya network, which aired one day following indirect negotiations between American and Iranian representatives in Geneva aimed at preventing further escalation between Washington and Tehran.

“The consequences are not good. There have already been strikes on Iran on nuclear sites under the control of the International Atomic Energy Agency. From what we can judge there were real risks of a nuclear incident,” Lavrov stated during the interview, which appeared on his ministry’s official website.

“I am carefully watching reactions in the region from Arab countries, Gulf monarchies. No one wants an increase in tension. Everyone understands this is playing with fire.”

The Russian minister emphasized that escalating hostilities could reverse recent diplomatic progress, particularly the improved relationship between Iran and regional neighbors like Saudi Arabia.

According to a high-ranking American official who spoke with Reuters Wednesday, Iran is anticipated to provide a written response outlining potential solutions to end the diplomatic impasse with the United States following the Geneva discussions.

The same official revealed that White House national security advisers convened Wednesday and received briefings indicating all American military assets sent to the region should be positioned by mid-March.

Washington continues demanding Iran abandon its nuclear activities, while Tehran has consistently rejected these demands and maintains it is not pursuing atomic weapons development.

Lavrov noted that Middle Eastern nations are communicating with Washington “clearly calling for restraint and a search for an agreement that will not infringe on Iran’s lawful rights and … guarantee that Iran has a purely peaceful nuclear enrichment programme.”

The foreign minister added that Moscow maintains consistent communication with Iranian leadership “and we have no reason to doubt that Iran sincerely wants to resolve this problem on the basis of observing the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.”

GENEVA — Wednesday marked the end of another round of American-facilitated peace negotiations between Russian and Ukrainian representatives, with both nations characterizing the discussions as challenging and yielding no major breakthroughs as the conflict approaches its fourth anniversary next week.

The Switzerland meetings represented the third series of direct negotiations organized by the United States, following earlier sessions in Abu Dhabi this year that officials called productive despite limited concrete results. Going into the Geneva talks, expectations for substantial progress remained modest.

“The negotiations were not easy,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated following the conclusion of talks, speaking by telephone from Kyiv with his negotiating representatives.

Zelenskyy previously criticized Russia for “trying to drag out negotiations” while continuing its military campaign — a charge he and European officials have made repeatedly throughout the conflict.

However, Zelenskyy acknowledged that some advancement occurred on military matters, though significant political divisions persist, particularly regarding the fate of eastern Ukrainian territories currently under Russian military control that Russian President Vladimir Putin seeks to retain.

Vladimir Medinsky, who leads Russia’s delegation and serves as a Putin advisor, informed journalists that the two-day Geneva discussions “were difficult but businesslike.”

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov indicated to reporters that discussing the talks’ outcomes remains “too early.” He noted that Putin has been receiving updates about the Geneva proceedings.

Both delegations confirmed plans for additional negotiation rounds.

Regarding military discussions, Zelenskyy characterized them as “constructive,” noting that both countries’ armed forces examined potential ceasefire monitoring mechanisms.

“Monitoring will definitely be carried out with participation of the American side,” he stated in a voice message distributed through a media WhatsApp group.

Steve Witkoff, President Donald Trump’s special envoy, posted on social media that Washington’s year-long peace efforts in Ukraine have “brought about meaningful progress,” though he provided no specific details.

The opposing forces continue fighting along an approximately 1,250-kilometer (750-mile) battle line, while Russia maintains daily bombardments of Ukrainian civilian areas.

Following Tuesday’s initial day of talks, Russian drone attacks killed one woman and wounded a 6-year-old girl and 18-month-old child in Zaporizhzhia, a southern Ukrainian city, according to local officials.

During the overnight hours, Russia deployed one ballistic missile and 126 long-range drones against Ukraine, Ukrainian air force reports indicated.

Zelenskyy revealed that Ukrainian and American negotiators in Geneva conducted meetings with officials from the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy and Switzerland.

European involvement in the negotiation process remains “indispensable,” Zelenskyy emphasized.

European officials, concerned about Putin’s broader territorial ambitions, maintain that their own security depends on Ukraine’s outcome and have demanded inclusion in peace discussions.

Russia and Ukraine continue to maintain significantly different positions regarding settlement terms.

While Zelenskyy has proposed a ceasefire and direct meeting with Putin, Moscow demands a comprehensive agreement prior to any truce commitment.

Putin’s primary objectives remain unchanged from Russia’s February 24, 2022 invasion: Ukraine must abandon NATO membership aspirations, drastically reduce military forces, and safeguard Russian language and cultural interests to maintain the country within Moscow’s sphere of influence.

Putin also demands Ukrainian military withdrawal from four eastern regions that Moscow occupies but doesn’t completely control.

Zelenskyy maintains that Ukraine will not cede territory to Russia.

CARACAS, Venezuela — A top U.S. military commander traveled to Venezuela’s capital this week for extensive discussions with the country’s acting leadership, marking another significant diplomatic development following the recent capture of former President Nicolás Maduro.

Marine General Francis Donovan, who leads U.S. Southern Command overseeing military operations across Latin America, spent several hours Wednesday in meetings with acting President Delcy Rodríguez and key cabinet officials. The Venezuelan government and American military command each confirmed the high-level visit through their respective social media channels.

According to Venezuelan officials, Donovan held talks with Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López and Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello during his time in Caracas.

The diplomatic engagement follows just weeks after U.S. military forces conducted a dramatic operation that resulted in Maduro’s capture and subsequent transport to America, where he now faces charges related to drug trafficking.

“During this meeting, both countries agreed to work on developing a bilateral cooperation agenda to combat illicit drug trafficking in our region, terrorism, and migration,” Rodríguez’s press office stated in a social media post. “The meeting reaffirms that diplomacy should be the mechanism for resolving differences and addressing issues of binational and regional interest, of interest to all parties.”

The U.S. delegation included Laura Dogu, America’s senior diplomatic representative in Venezuela, along with Joseph Humire, who serves as acting assistant secretary of defense for homeland defense and Americas affairs.

American military officials described the talks as centering on regional security matters affecting Venezuela and the broader Western Hemisphere, plus discussions about implementing President Donald Trump’s gradual approach toward the South American nation.

This represents the most recent in a series of high-profile American visits to Venezuela. CIA Director John Ratcliffe traveled to meet with Rodríguez just two weeks following Maduro’s removal from power, while Energy Secretary Chris Wright conducted meetings with Venezuelan leadership last week as part of an evaluation of the nation’s petroleum sector.

Canada announced significant changes to its immigration framework on Wednesday, establishing new priority pathways for skilled professionals in crucial sectors including healthcare, research, aviation, and military service.

The revamped system supports Prime Minister Mark Carney’s strategy to decrease overall permanent residency numbers while strategically recruiting qualified workers and academics, along with strengthening defense capabilities to reduce reliance on the United States.

Officials stated the modifications aim to return immigration levels to manageable numbers while addressing workforce gaps in essential industries. The Canadian government has been working in recent years to lower immigrant numbers to alleviate pressure on housing markets and public services.

Immigration Minister Lena Metlege Diab explained that the 2026 modifications to the Express Entry program will help draw talent capable of making immediate contributions as Canada confronts worker shortages in vital areas.

The updated priority categories encompass researchers, executive-level managers, transportation industry professionals including pilots and aircraft technicians, and foreign physicians with Canadian work experience. The system will also welcome skilled international military candidates recruited by the Canadian Armed Forces, such as military medical professionals, nurses, and aviators.

“Canada’s future depends on a workforce ready for a changing economy,” Diab stated.

In an effort to decrease dependence on the United States, Carney unveiled a comprehensive defense plan on Tuesday targeting the next ten years. The strategy seeks to increase government defense research and development investment by 85%, expand defense industry revenue by over 240%, grow defense exports by 50%, and generate as many as 125,000 high-quality employment opportunities.

Following other NATO alliance members, Canada has committed to increasing defense expenditure to 5% of gross domestic product by 2035.

Current Express Entry invitation rounds for existing categories — covering French-speaking applicants, healthcare professionals, and skilled trade workers — will remain active alongside these new focused programs.

A critical verdict awaits former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol on Thursday as the Seoul Central District Court prepares to determine whether he orchestrated an insurrection through his failed martial law declaration in December 2024.

The ruling represents the most significant legal challenge yet for the deposed leader, whose emergency rule attempt sparked a nationwide political upheaval and put the nation’s democratic foundations to the test.

In January, prosecutors demanded the ultimate punishment, stating “his unconstitutional and illegal emergency martial law undermined the function of the National Assembly and the Election Commission… actually destroying the liberal democratic constitutional order.”

Under South Korean legal statutes, orchestrating an insurrection can result in either capital punishment or life behind bars. The country’s last death sentence was issued in 2016, though no executions have occurred since 1997.

Heavy security surrounded the Seoul Central District Court Thursday, with law enforcement vehicles creating a protective barrier around the courthouse.

Beyond the insurrection allegations, the court will address accusations that Yoon overstepped his authority by commanding military forces to invade parliament and arrest political rivals, while also deploying personnel to restrict access to opposition party headquarters.

The 65-year-old defendant has rejected all accusations. The former prosecutor with conservative leanings maintained he possessed presidential powers to enact martial law, claiming his actions were meant to highlight how opposition groups were blocking governmental functions.

Currently held at Seoul Detention Centre, the former president will likely stay incarcerated whatever Thursday’s outcome brings. A guilty verdict would prompt an expected appeal, while acquittal wouldn’t end his extensive legal troubles.

Yoon confronts eight different court cases and already received a five-year prison term in January for charges including interfering with arrest efforts following his martial law announcement. He has challenged that conviction.

Though Yoon’s emergency rule lasted merely six hours before massive public demonstrations and parliamentary rejection ended it, the incident shocked South Korea – Asia’s fourth-largest economic power, a crucial American security partner, and a nation long viewed as having one of the world’s strongest democracies.

Current President Lee Jae Myung, who assumed office through a special election in June after Yoon’s removal, praised Korean citizens on social media platform X Thursday for stopping the martial law implementation.

“It was possible because it was the Republic of Korea,” Lee stated, referencing the country’s formal name and adding that the Korean people would stand as an inspiration throughout human history.

His message accompanied a news report discussing academic proposals to nominate the Korean public for a Nobel Peace Prize for their peaceful resistance against military and police forces during the martial law crisis.

KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip — The memories of better times weigh heavily on Waleed al Zamli’s mind as he reflects on what Ramadan used to mean for his family. Traditional lanterns brightening his children’s faces. Sweet treats shared among loved ones. Elaborate meals prepared with care.

“We used to welcome this holy month with such joy,” said al Zamli, a father of eleven children now living in the overcrowded Muwasi tent settlement after being forced to abandon their home during Israel’s military campaign.

Those days of celebration feel like a distant memory now, he explained.

The weight of being unable to care for his large family in their current circumstances brings al Zamli deep sorrow. His workplace was demolished during the conflict, leaving him without employment, he explained.

When it came time for Wednesday’s first iftar meal to break the daily fast, al Zamli’s wife collected food from a charitable kitchen that has become their lifeline. She prepared soup as an accompaniment to stretch the donated meal.

“Joy has abandoned us this year,” al Zamli stated.

The holy month of Ramadan has begun in Gaza during a tentative ceasefire agreement, yet Palestinian residents report that the season’s traditional celebratory atmosphere remains absent as they navigate ongoing hardships and mourn losses from the prolonged conflict.

The struggles were evident at the charitable kitchen location, where crowds of people pressed forward with outstretched hands, clutching empty containers in hopes of receiving food. The desperate group included young children, mothers, and senior citizens all competing for assistance.

Throughout Ramadan, practicing Muslims abstain from food and drink between sunrise and sunset each day. The period emphasizes enhanced prayer, spiritual contemplation, and charitable giving. Under typical conditions, the month creates opportunities for families and communities to gather for celebratory fast-breaking meals.

However, conditions in Gaza remain anything but typical. The Israeli military campaign has resulted in over 72,000 Palestinian deaths according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, while causing extensive infrastructure damage and forcing most residents from their homes. Israel initiated this offensive following the October 7, 2023 attack by Hamas-led fighters that killed approximately 1,200 people, primarily civilians, and resulted in 251 individuals being taken hostage.

Al Zamli identifies securing adequate nutrition for his family as his greatest Ramadan challenge. He reports receiving minimal humanitarian assistance. Essential foods including meat and poultry now cost significantly more than before the conflict began, he noted, making many necessities impossible to afford without steady income.

“My children long to experience the same happiness as other kids – to dress nicely and enjoy clean, special food,” he shared.

These economic pressures become particularly intense during Ramadan, al Zamli observed. Normally, families flood marketplaces to purchase food supplies, decorative items, and other seasonal necessities. Food takes on special significance as the daily fasting period transitions into nourishing iftar dinners that can be quite elaborate for some families. Muslims also consume a pre-dawn meal called suhoor to sustain themselves through the fasting hours.

Gaza residents shopping at markets this week expressed frustration over how financial difficulties have dampened the month’s spirit.

Nevertheless, despite these challenges, some Gaza Strip residents have made efforts to recreate elements of traditional Ramadan celebrations – including displaying decorative strings among damaged buildings. At al Zamli’s displacement camp, his children created makeshift Ramadan lanterns using discarded soda cans.

The October 10 ceasefire agreement, facilitated by the United States, aimed to end more than two years of warfare between Israeli forces and Hamas. Although major combat operations have decreased, the ceasefire period has still witnessed near-daily Israeli military action.

Israeli military units have conducted multiple aerial bombardments and regularly opened fire on Palestinians approaching military-controlled areas, resulting in over 600 Palestinian deaths according to Gaza health authorities. The ministry, operating under Hamas governance, keeps comprehensive casualty documentation that United Nations agencies and independent analysts generally consider credible. However, their records do not separate civilian and combatant deaths.

Armed groups have launched attacks against Israeli military personnel, with Israel claiming its strikes respond to these and other ceasefire violations. Four Israeli soldiers have died during this period.

Even with some relief provided by the unstable ceasefire arrangement, numerous daily challenges continue affecting residents.

Al Zamli explained that the war has taken many precious things from his family. A son-in-law was killed shortly after marrying his daughter, who is now a widow, he said.

During this Ramadan season, his prayers focus on ending “the violence and bloodshed” and experiencing “security, peace, and calm,” along with gaining “the ability to provide quality food and clothing for our children.”

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina — Argentine President Javier Milei departed Wednesday for his fourteenth visit to the United States, where he will participate in President Donald Trump’s inaugural Board of Peace initiative session. Milei is also scheduled to join Trump’s regional gathering in Miami on March 7, bringing together Latin American leaders who support the White House’s political direction.

These diplomatic missions occur as Trump works to strengthen partnerships aimed at reducing Chinese influence across Latin America, while Milei navigates delicate international relations — aligning his nation’s foreign policy with Washington’s vision while simultaneously deepening economic connections with Beijing, Argentina’s primary trade partner.

Despite calling Beijing’s Communist leadership “assassins” during his campaign, political analysts note that after two years in office, Milei clearly cannot sever ties with China.

Benjamin Gedan, who leads the Latin American program at the Wilson Center, explained: “Argentina relies on China’s insatiable demand for South America’s energy, food and minerals, and the United States will never replace that market.”

Recent government statistics show China became Argentina’s primary trading partner this past December, surpassing neighboring Brazil three months prior. Argentine shipments to China jumped 125% compared to the previous year, while imports increased 26%.

Mariano Turzi, an international relations professor at Austral University near Buenos Aires, described the situation as paradoxical: “It’s the great irony of Milei’s administration. Milei rhetorically seeks to distance himself from China. But it was under Milei’s anti-communist libertarian government that China gained greater ground in the Argentine market.”

Milei’s representatives did not respond to requests for comment.

Business leaders have praised Milei’s efforts to control runaway inflation and ease strict capital restrictions. However, his elimination of tariff protections and reduction in public infrastructure spending have damaged domestic manufacturers in this historically protectionist country. Argentine producers, facing some of Latin America’s heaviest tax burdens, express concerns about unfair international competition, especially from China.

The recent arrival of Chinese electric vehicles at an Argentine port last month ignited heated discussions, coinciding with multiple factory shutdowns and contrasting with other nations like Mexico, which imposed steep tariffs on Chinese EVs to align with Washington’s stance.

Major tire producer Fate ceased operations Wednesday, eliminating over 900 jobs. The company blamed “changes in market conditions,” which local news outlets widely understood as referring to Chinese competition among other challenges.

Labor ministry officials ordered a 15-day halt to the layoffs Thursday, providing time for company-union negotiations, though the company indicated it would close permanently regardless.

Chinese investment has funded hydroelectric dam construction and solar energy facilities throughout Argentina, with significant stakes in crucial sectors including the nation’s rapidly developing mining operations. Chinese corporation Ganfeng Lithium has invested billions in lithium reserves located in Argentina’s northern regions.

A Chinese space installation in southern Neuquen province, which US officials claim could serve military functions and represents China’s first such overseas facility, has operated for several years.

During Milei’s most challenging presidential period — approaching October 2025 midterm elections amid market instability — Washington provided $20 billion in financial assistance to support the Trump ally’s political future and prevent further peso devaluation.

This significant intervention reflects the Trump administration’s implementation of what it calls a contemporary version of the Monroe Doctrine — the 1823 declaration warning European nations about American authority in the Western Hemisphere.

Following Trump’s controversial Argentine financial rescue, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated on Fox News that Milei was “committed to getting China out” of the South American country.

However, months afterward, little evidence supports this claim, as Argentine officials emphasize that their nation’s strong US relationship does not damage ties with China.

Despite Argentina and the US signing an extensive trade agreement this month, Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno recently informed Buenos Aires reporters that the agreement “does not imply that China cannot participate or will not participate in investments in Argentina.”

Wilson Center’s Gedan noted that despite Milei’s frequent visits to Mar-a-Lago and Washington, Argentina demonstrates “a great example of the limitations of the Monroe Doctrine.”

North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un announced that his government will establish fresh defense objectives during a major political assembly scheduled for this week, according to state-controlled media reports released Thursday.

The announcement came as Kim participated in a presentation ceremony for 600mm-caliber multiple rocket launchers being delivered to the Ninth Congress of the ruling Workers’ Party, along with a groundbreaking event for a construction initiative in Pyongyang’s Hwasong District on Thursday.

Leading up to this month’s Ninth Congress, Kim has been highlighting achievements from various national initiatives. This political assembly represents the nation’s most significant governmental meeting, where officials evaluate past performance, establish future policy objectives, and potentially implement leadership transitions.

During his remarks at the rocket launcher presentation, Kim stated, “The Ninth Congress of our Party will declare the next phase of self-reliant defence’s initiative and goal,” as reported by state news agency KCNA.

He continued, “The project of constantly renewing our military capabilities that can strongly subdue any threats and challenges from outside forces will accelerate.”

According to Hong Min, a researcher with Seoul’s Korea Institute for National Unification, the Ninth Congress could begin as early as Thursday or Friday of this week.