International

How to end the wars in Ukraine and Gaza and 4 other global issues in which Xi and Putin coincide

The leaders of China and Russia, Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin, exhibited this Thursday in Beijing their consensus on global issues such as the conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza, multipolarity and trade, distancing themselves from Western positions.

Putin’s second visit to China in less than a year (and his first trip abroad after starting his fifth term) comes after last week Xi traveled for the first time in five to Europe, where the Chinese leader received new pressure to convince his Russian counterpart to stop his aggression against Ukraine.

In a statement after the meeting they held in Beijing, Xi assured that both parties “agree that a political solution to the ‘crisis’ in Ukraine is the right direction.”

Likewise, he reiterated point by point the position that Beijing has maintained in recent years, asking for “respect for the territorial integrity of all countries,” but also for the “legitimate security concerns of all parties,” in reference to Russia.

Xi’s words on the subject do not suggest that the Chinese leader could have pressured his counterpart to end the war during a meeting that occurred a day after Washington announced in Kiev an additional item of 2 billion dollars (about 1,837 million euros) to help Ukraine acquire weapons from the United States.

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Xi declared that both parties consider it “extremely urgent” to find a way out of the situation in Palestine and that they support the “two-state solution” and the implementation of United Nations resolutions on this conflict.

Thus, the two heads of state have staged the coordination of their countries on this issue in scenarios such as the United Nations Security Council, where their representatives have voted similarly on the resolutions in this regard.

The Chinese leader boasted of the “strength” of the ties between Beijing and Moscow, which “have stood the test of the changing international panorama” and that will continue to consolidate to “defend justice in the world.”

The Chinese president recalled that he has met “more than forty times” with Putin, who defined relations between China and Russia as an “example of how links should be built between neighboring states.”

Both parties agreed to “promote multipolarity and globalization” and coordinate in institutions such as the United Nations or the G20 to “lead global management in the right direction.”

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In February 2022, shortly before the start of the war in Ukraine, Xi and Putin proclaimed in Beijing a “friendship without limits” and, since then, they have defended that their relationship “advances the multipolarization of the world,” as opposed to American “hegemonism.”

Putin welcomed the expansion of bilateral trade, which “is reliably protected against the negative influence of third countries,” he said in reference to the Western sanctions against his country, criticized in recent years by Beijing for “not solving the problems.”

The Russian president also stressed that energy cooperation between Beijing and Moscow was addressed “in depth” during the meeting, a possible reference to the Power of Siberia 2 gas pipeline, designed to connect Russia and China through Mongolia and that, if completed, would divert 50 billion cubic meters of natural gas per year to northern China.

After surpassing Saudi Arabia, Russia has been China’s main source of oil since 2023, a trade that constitutes an important source of income for the Eurasian country, whose energy exports have been affected by Western sanctions.

In the midst of the American and European offensive against the Chinese automotive sector, Putin defended bilateral collaboration in this field and congratulated China on “a clear and very obvious success” in the sector.

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The words of admiration of the Russian leader contrasted with the statements of US President Joe Biden, who recently accused Beijing of “cheating” in that industry and with the EU’s position, which announced a few months ago an investigation of the electric vehicle sector of the Asian giant for possible “illegal subsidies.”

International

Peruvian presidential candidate proposes death penalty amid crime surge

Peru is facing an unprecedented surge in crime ahead of its presidential election scheduled for April 12, with violence fueled by extortion networks and a wave of contract killings linked to organized crime.

Police data show that 2,200 homicides tied to organized crime were recorded in 2025, while extortion complaints increased by 19%, underscoring the growing security crisis in the South American nation.

Amid this backdrop, presidential candidate Álvarez has proposed reinstating the death penalty if elected, arguing that extreme measures are needed to curb the violence.

To implement the proposal, Álvarez said Peru would withdraw from the American Convention on Human Rights—also known as the Pact of San José—which the country signed in 1978. The agreement prevents member states that have abolished capital punishment from reinstating it.

Currently, Peruvian law only allows the death penalty in cases of treason during wartime.

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“We have to leave the Pact of San José and apply the death penalty in Peru because those miserable criminals don’t deserve to live,” Álvarez told AFP during a campaign stop at a market in Callao, the port city neighboring Lima.

“An iron fist against those criminals,” he added, proposing to declare hitmen as military targets.

During the campaign event, Álvarez walked through stalls selling vegetables, groceries, and fish, greeting vendors while musicians played cumbia music nearby.

The 62-year-old candidate, who spent more than four decades working in television as a comedian, is a newcomer to politics and is running for president under the País para Todos party.

Polls place him fifth in voter preference with nearly 4% support in a fragmented race featuring 36 candidates.

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“I am an artist who has taken a step into politics to bring peace to my country,” Álvarez told reporters while surrounded by supporters.

International

FBI: Man who attacked Michigan synagogue died from self-inflicted gunshot

The man who died during Thursday’s attack on a synagogue in the United States suffered a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, according to the FBI.

FBI agent Jennifer Runyan told reporters that the suspect, identified as 41-year-old Lebanese citizen Ayman Mohamad Ghazali, shot himself at some point during the confrontation.

“At some point during the shooting, Ghazali suffered a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head,” Runyan said during a press conference.

A spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security confirmed the suspect’s identity.

Authorities said Ghazali drove a truck into the Temple Israel synagogue in West Bloomfield, located in the state of Michigan, on Thursday.

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According to Michael Bouchard, sheriff of Oakland County, synagogue security personnel noticed the vehicle and confronted the suspect with gunfire.

Investigators said it would be premature to speculate about the motive for the attack, although reports indicate Ghazali recently lost relatives during Israeli strikes in Lebanon earlier this month.

“It would be irresponsible for me to speculate about his motive,” Runyan said.

Ghazali arrived in Detroit in 2011 on a spouse visa for U.S. citizens and obtained American citizenship in 2016, according to reporting by The New York Times.

He was the father of two teenagers, divorced from his wife in 2024, and had recently been working as a waiter.

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The newspaper also reported that Ghazali attended a memorial service in the nearby city of Dearborn for relatives killed in the recent conflict, alongside other grieving family members from the Lebanese town of Machghara.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation said the incident is being investigated as an act of violence targeting the Jewish community.

A source from Michigan’s Lebanese-American community told CBS News that several of Ghazali’s relatives had been killed roughly ten days before the attack, leaving him deeply devastated.

International

Mexican Navy Ships Deliver Third Shipment of Humanitarian Aid to Cuba

Two logistics support vessels from the Mexican Navy — the ARM Papaloapan and the ARM Huasteco — docked again on Friday in the bay of Havana carrying a third shipment of humanitarian aid for Cuba.

The vessels had previously arrived on the Caribbean island on February 28 with a second cargo that included 1,200 tons of food, sent to help alleviate the country’s ongoing crisis, which has worsened following the U.S. oil restrictions affecting fuel supplies to the island.

Cuba’s deputy foreign minister Josefina Vidal confirmed the new shipment in a social media post.

“Two ships carrying a third shipment of aid from the Government and the people of Mexico for the Cuban people are now arriving at the port of Havana. Thank you Mexico for your solidarity with Cuba,” she wrote.

Previous aid shipments

During the second shipment, the Papaloapan transported 1,078 tons of beans and powdered milk, while the Huastecocarried 92 tons of beans and 23 tons of assorted food products collected by social organizations with support from the government of Mexico City.

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In recent months, Mexico has become the largest provider of humanitarian aid to Cuba, sending around 2,000 tons of supplies, mostly staple foods and hygiene products, in the two shipments prior to Friday’s delivery.

The first shipment alone included 814 tons of food.

Cuba praises Mexico’s support

Hours before the ships arrived, Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel highlighted Mexico’s support during a televised appearance, describing the country as “a friendly and brotherly nation that has shown tremendous solidarity,”particularly praising Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum.

Díaz-Canel also addressed reports suggesting that Mexican donations were being resold in state-run stores, dismissing them as a “disinformation campaign” promoted by right-wing groups.