International

China warns NATO of the “consequences” if it considers it a “hypothetical enemy”

China warned NATO this Friday that it will “suffer the consequences” if it considers it a “hypothetical enemy,” in a harsh response to the recent statements of the secretary general of the defense agency, Jens Stoltenberg.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian described Stoltenberg’s words as “irresponsible and provocative,” loaded with “Id War mentality” and “ideological bias.”

The NATO secretary had called the Asian giant a “systemic challenge” to global security during the Alliance summit held this Thursday in Washington.

Lin accused NATO of attacking “the Chinese system” and interfering in its “internal affairs,” in addition to “maliciously distorting” China’s national and international policies and “diverting the blame” on the issue of Ukraine.

Therefore, he expressed China’s “strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition” to NATO’s statements and reiterated China’s position on Ukraine and the summit of the defense organization.

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The diplomat also accused the NATO Secretary General of “ignoring the facts” and using “various occasions to defame and attack China,” “exaggerating the theory of the Chinese threat” and “inciting anti-China feelings.”

“If China is considered a ‘hypothetical enemy’, NATO will only suffer the bitter consequences in the end,” warned Lin, who urged some “Western politicians who are on the verge of political death” not to “try to leave some ‘legacy’ by force by stoking the flames, causing problems and blaming others.”

China, the spokesman said, will follow “a path of peaceful development” and will bring “more stability and positive energy to world peace and stability through its own development and foreign cooperation,” while firmly defending its “sovereignty, security and development interests.”

Stoltenberg said on behalf of the Alliance leaders, meeting in Washington, that “China cannot facilitate the biggest conflict in Europe in recent history without that negatively affecting its interests and reputation.”

Since the beginning of the conflict, China has taken an ambiguous position regarding the war in Ukraine, from which it has asked for respect for the territorial integrity of all countries, including Ukraine, and respect for the “legitimate security concerns” of all parties, in reference to Russia.

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China’s position reflects the growing tensions between the Asian country and NATO, which have increased in recent years due to factors such as China’s military expansion, its growing economic influence and its relationship with Russia.

Last May, during his stop in Serbia on the occasion of his tour of Europe, Chinese President Xi Jinping promised “never forget” the bombing of the Chinese embassy in Belgrade at the hands of NATO in 1999.

International

Football Fan Killed in Clashes After Colombian League Match

Fans of Cúcuta Deportivo and their traditional rivals Atlético Bucaramanga clashed outside the stadium following their local league match on Tuesday, leaving one supporter dead and several others injured.

The deceased fan was stabbed, according to a senior police official in Cúcuta who confirmed the cause of death in a video statement. Local media reported that the victim was a supporter of the visiting team, Atlético Bucaramanga.

The match ended in a 2-2 draw. Authorities had banned the entry of Atlético Bucaramanga’s organized supporters into the stadium in an effort to prevent disturbances.

Despite the restrictions, violence broke out in the surrounding areas after the game. Among the injured were three police officers, an institutional source told AFP.

The incident adds to a series of recent violent episodes linked to Colombian football. The most recent occurred in December, when supporters of Atlético Nacional and Independiente Medellín clashed in the stands and on the pitch, leaving 59 people injured.

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International

Missing Spanish Sailor Rescued After 11 Days Adrift in Mediterranean

The man had departed from the port of Gandía, on Spain’s eastern coast, with the intention of reaching the southern Spanish town of Guardamar del Segura, a journey of about 150 kilometers, a spokesperson for Spain’s maritime rescue service told AFP.

Search boats and aircraft were deployed on January 17, but the operation was called off on January 22 after efforts proved unsuccessful. Alerts were then issued to vessels navigating the area in case they spotted any signs of the missing sailor.

As hopes were fading, a surveillance aircraft from the European Union’s border agency Frontex spotted the sailboat on Tuesday, along with a person signaling for help, approximately 53 nautical miles northeast of Bejaia, Algeria.

A nearby vessel, the Singapore-flagged bulk carrier Thor Confidence, carried out the rescue and is expected to bring the man to an end to his ordeal when it arrives on Thursday in the southern Spanish port city of Algeciras.

Maritime rescue services shared images on social media showing a small white sailboat drifting at sea and secured alongside the much larger ship.

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It remains unclear how the sailboat ended up hundreds of kilometers off its intended route or how the man managed to survive for so long alone in open waters.

International

Rubio Says U.S. Could Participate in Follow-Up Russia-Ukraine Talks

The United States could join a new round of talks this week aimed at ending Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Tuesday.

Teams from Kyiv and Moscow met last Friday and Saturday in Abu Dhabi in their first publicly acknowledged direct negotiations to discuss the peace initiative promoted by former U.S. President Donald Trump.

“They are going to hold follow-up talks again this week,” Rubio told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. “There could be U.S. participation.”

However, Rubio suggested that Washington’s role may be more limited than during last week’s discussions, which included Steve Witkoff, the president’s special envoy, and Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law.

The secretary of state indicated that progress may have already been made on security guarantees for Ukraine, one of Kyiv’s key demands in any agreement with Moscow after nearly four years of Russian invasion.

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“There is one remaining issue that everyone is familiar with, and that is the territorial claim over Donetsk,” Rubio said, referring to the eastern Ukrainian region that Russia wants Ukraine to cede.

“I know that active efforts are underway to see whether the positions of both sides on this issue can be reconciled. It remains a bridge we have not yet crossed,” he added during the hearing.

Rubio acknowledged that the territorial question would be particularly difficult for Ukraine to resolve.