The German Chancellor, Friedrich Merz, arrived in Beijing, China, for a two-day visit, where he held talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping. According to the Chinese state media, President Xi emphasized the need for China and Germany to strengthen their strategic cooperation. He stated that the two countries have always attached great importance to bilateral relations and are prepared to make new progress in their collaborative efforts. The Chinese President also discussed the Ukraine conflict with Chancellor Merz, urging that a solution to the crisis can only be achieved through dialogue. He further emphasized that any settlement to the conflict must involve equal participation from all parties involved.
In other news, a Russian court has ordered Google to pay a fine of $2.88 million for violating the country’s data protection laws. The fine was levied on Google Play Store for distributing VPN services. Meanwhile, a video of New York City Mayor Zehran Mamdani participating in a qawwali event has gone viral on social media. In a separate incident, a video of a woman being shot at during a wedding ceremony in Bihar, India, has also gained widespread attention. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has departed for a visit to Israel.
Ismael Bakhai has dismissed US allegations of Iran’s nuclear program and ballistic missile development as “big lies.” According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the number of attacks on healthcare facilities has increased by 20% globally in 2025 compared to the previous year.
In a separate incident, a 28-year-old woman was gang-raped in front of her boyfriend in Assam, India, by seven individuals wielding a knife. Despite ongoing negotiations with the US, Iran is facing growing tensions as the threat of war looms. US President Donald Trump set a new record for the longest State of the Union address, lasting 110 minutes.
