The EU is proposing to sanction companies in mainland China for the first time as part of its latest measures aimed at shutting down loopholes that allow Russia to route military technology via third countries to its weapons factories. Three companies in mainland China, as well as four in Hong Kong and one in India, are on a 91-page document of companies and individuals who EU member states want to add to a growing sanctions list before the second anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. As the EU, the UK…
Tag: Ukraine
Two Cases Aim to Cut Off China and Iran From U.S. Technology
The U.S. government announced charges in two separate cases on Wednesday aimed at enforcing laws blocking the transfer of critical technologies, part of a broader campaign to hamper military efforts and weapons production in rival countries. One of the complaints was against a U.S. citizen born in China who has been arrested and accused of stealing trade secrets from a private company. The technology, according to court documents, “would be dangerous to U.S. national security if obtained by international actors.” A Justice Department complaint filed in U.S. District Court in…
Switzerland to China: ‘Give Us a Hand’ With Ukraine Peace Process
As Switzerland prepares to host peace talks on Russia’s war on Ukraine, it has formally invited China to join the effort that it is spearheading. Speaking with reporters Wednesday as he wrapped up a two-day visit to China’s capital, Switzerland’s foreign minister, Ignazio Cassis, said he was interested in getting Beijing’s help because “China has great relations with Russia.” “I hope that China, that is very open to contribute, can ‘give us a hand’ towards peace,” Cassis said. Last month, Switzerland agreed to hold the peace summit at the request…
House Bill Seeks $17.6 Billion for Israel, None for Ukraine, Taiwan
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Ukraine, Middle East Conflicts Hamper Fight Against Graft
Global efforts to curb public sector corruption are stalling, even reversing in some regions due to armed conflicts and dysfunctional justice systems, a leading corruption watchdog said on Tuesday. Berlin-based Transparency International’s annual report paints a grim picture, revealing that most countries have made negligible or no progress in tackling corruption. “Both authoritarian regimes and democratic leaders undermining justice contribute to increasing impunity for corruption and, in some cases, even encourage it by removing consequences for wrongdoers,” the company said in a statement. Even while it repels the Russian invasion,…
Switzerland to Host Peace Summit on Ukraine
Switzerland announced Monday it will host a global peace summit on Ukraine at the request of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Planning for the event will start Tuesday. At a press conference in Bern alongside Swiss President Viola Amherd, Zelenskyy urged China, a Russian ally and global power player, to participate and help resolve the conflict with Russia. “We would very much like China to be involved in our [peace] formula, as well as in the summit,” he said. “But not everything depends on our wishes.” Zelenskyy did not provide an…
From Lebanon to the Red Sea, a Broader Conflict With Iran Looms
President Biden and his top national security aides believed last summer that the chances of conflict with Iran and its proxies were well contained. After secret talks, they had just concluded a deal that led to the release of five imprisoned Americans in return for $6 billion in frozen Iranian funds and some Iranian prisoners. The militants that Tehran finances and arms — Hamas in the Palestinian territories, Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen — seemed relatively quiet. Iran even slowed enrichment of uranium at its underground nuclear…
North Korean-Russian Military Cooperation Could Threaten Global Security
WASHINGTON — The renewed military cooperation between North Korea and Russia in 2023 could increase threats to global security in coming years, analysts said. As Russia’s Ukraine war approaches the second anniversary of the February 2022 invasion, Moscow has turned to North Korea for help in replenishing its depleted stockpile of arms. In exchange, Russia has suggested it will help develop weapons that Pyongyang wants, including a spy satellite. North Korea claimed on November 28 that a satellite it launched into orbit the week before had taken photos of critical…
The world in 2024: Guardian writers on what to look out for
The year 2024 will be a critical one. The future of Gaza and the West Bank may hinge in part on whether Donald Trump returns to the White House – as may the outcome of the war in Ukraine. China will be locked in a race against time as its population ages. And the natural world will reach a new series of tipping points. But there are some reasons for cautious optimism. With so much happening, it can be hard to know where to look. Here Guardian correspondents offer their…
Worlds apart: inside the 22 December Guardian Weekly
The Guardian Weekly magazine looks forward and back in our final edition of 2023, a year overshadowed by war and conflict. In a special essay, diplomatic editor Patrick Wintour reflects on how a perception of US double standards over Ukraine and Gaza has damaged the west in the minds of the global south, and whether an international reckoning of sorts awaits Washington in 2024. “I wanted to illustrate chaos and destruction as testaments of war,” writes Israel G Vargas on his cover artwork for this week’s edition. “Two conflicts shaking…