A senior Kremlin official confirmed on Wednesday that U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff is scheduled to visit Moscow next week, marking a significant step in accelerating diplomatic efforts to end the nearly four-year conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Yuri Ushakov, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s foreign affairs adviser, emphasized that while communication channels remain open, no formal U.S. peace proposal has been presented. This comes despite recent talks involving the U.S., Russia, and Ukraine in Abu Dhabi earlier this week. Ushakov stated, ‘Contact is ongoing, including via telephone, but no one has yet sat down at a round table and discussed this point-by-point.’ Ukrainian officials have yet to confirm whether U.S. Army Secretary Dan Driscoll, a key figure in recent peace initiatives, will visit Kyiv in the coming days. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed cautious optimism about a U.S.-proposed peace plan, describing it as ‘workable’ after weekend discussions in Geneva, though critical issues remain unresolved. Meanwhile, Russia’s ongoing military aggression continues to cast a shadow over diplomatic efforts. A recent drone attack on Zaporizhzhia damaged over 50 residential buildings and injured 19 people, while Russian air defenses intercepted 33 Ukrainian drones. European leaders, including German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, have stressed the importance of Ukrainian sovereignty and European security in any peace agreement. Von der Leyen highlighted that Ukraine’s security is integral to Europe’s stability, rejecting any limitations on Ukraine’s armed forces or its path to NATO membership.
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Trump defends Witkoff after leak appears to show envoy coaching Russia
US President Donald Trump has publicly supported his special envoy, Steve Witkoff, describing his actions as ‘standard’ in the realm of diplomatic negotiations. This defense comes in the wake of a leaked audio recording that purportedly captures Witkoff advising a Russian official on strategies to appeal to Trump. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump emphasized that Witkoff was merely performing the duties expected of a dealmaker, aiming to ‘sell’ a peace plan to both Russia and Ukraine. The leaked conversation, which Bloomberg shared as a transcript, reportedly occurred on October 14 and involved Witkoff and Yuri Ushakov, a foreign policy adviser to Russian President Vladimir Putin. In the recording, Witkoff is said to have suggested ways to facilitate a call between Trump and Putin, including congratulating Trump on his achievements and expressing respect for his peacemaking efforts. The leaked audio has sparked controversy, particularly as it follows the release of a 28-point draft peace plan that many critics argue favors Russian interests. Despite the backlash, diplomatic talks have continued, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressing readiness to meet Trump to address unresolved issues. Meanwhile, Witkoff is scheduled to visit Moscow next week, as per a preliminary agreement. The leak has also drawn ire from Russian officials, with Putin’s envoy Kirill Dmitriev accusing the media of spreading ‘fake narratives’ to undermine relations. As the situation unfolds, the focus remains on whether the revised peace plan can bridge the gap between the conflicting parties and bring an end to the ongoing war in Ukraine.
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View of China’s Huangyan Island national nature reserve in South China Sea
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Deadly fire engulfs Hong Kong apartment blocks
A devastating fire broke out in a residential area of Hong Kong, engulfing multiple apartment blocks and sending thick plumes of smoke into the sky. Dramatic video footage captured the scene as firefighters, perched on cranes, battled the intense blaze in a desperate attempt to bring it under control. The fire, which erupted unexpectedly, has resulted in multiple fatalities, though the exact number of casualties remains unclear. Authorities are investigating the cause of the inferno, while emergency services continue to work tirelessly to ensure the safety of residents and prevent further damage. The incident has left the community in shock, raising concerns about fire safety measures in densely populated urban areas.
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Red Sea cable delays will ‘not affect Internet speeds in UAE, but risks remain’
Recent delays in subsea cable projects across the Red Sea are unlikely to immediately impact internet speeds in the UAE, thanks to the country’s diversified connectivity routes and robust domestic infrastructure. However, experts warn that the region remains vulnerable to long-term risks due to the fragility of this critical global corridor. According to industry specialists, the Red Sea has become a significant bottleneck in global connectivity, with repeated disruptions over the past two years highlighting its vulnerabilities. Tony O’Sullivan, CEO of RETN, emphasized that delays in deploying new high-capacity cables remove the future headroom needed to absorb shocks, leaving the region exposed to extended repair cycles and repeated disruptions. The UAE’s ability to manage recent incidents better than neighboring markets is attributed to its diverse subsea and terrestrial routes. However, the region still lacks sufficient high-bandwidth alternatives, making it susceptible to resilience gaps. Vincent Chok, Founder and CEO of First Digital Trust, noted that delays in subsea systems also impact financial networks, creating latency in payment processing, trading execution, and cross-border settlement systems. Experts stress that ongoing investment in diverse routes and genuine capacity redundancy is essential for long-term resilience. While the UAE’s current infrastructure mitigates immediate risks, reducing dependence on the Red Sea corridor remains a strategic priority for the region.
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Track-laying for Harbin-Yichun high-speed railway completes
The Harbin-Yichun high-speed railway, a pivotal infrastructure project in Northeast China, has reached a significant milestone with the completion of its track-laying phase on Tuesday, November 25, 2025. This development marks a crucial step forward in the construction of China’s northernmost high-speed railway. The project, which spans Heilongjiang province, is set to enhance regional connectivity and boost economic growth in the area. An aerial drone photo captured on November 25, 2025, showcases the construction site in Qing’an county, highlighting the progress made. The Harbin-Yichun high-speed railway is expected to significantly reduce travel time between the two cities, fostering greater integration and development in the region. This achievement underscores China’s commitment to advancing its high-speed rail network, which is already the most extensive in the world.
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India protests China’s ‘arbitrary detention’ of citizen at Shanghai airport
India has formally protested to China following the alleged arbitrary detention of an Indian citizen at Shanghai airport, escalating tensions between the two nations. The incident occurred on November 21 when Pem Wang Thongdok, a traveler from India’s northeastern state of Arunachal Pradesh, was held for 18 hours during a layover en route to Japan. Chinese authorities reportedly deemed her passport invalid, citing Arunachal Pradesh as Chinese territory, which Beijing refers to as Zangnan or Southern Tibet. India firmly maintains that Arunachal Pradesh is an integral part of its territory. This episode adds to the existing strain in bilateral relations, already marred by a military standoff along the Himalayan border, trade restrictions, and competing regional interests. The dispute over Arunachal Pradesh remains a significant obstacle to improving ties between the two nuclear-armed neighbors. China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning defended the border inspection authorities, stating the case was handled lawfully and denied any detention or harassment. India’s Foreign Ministry countered, asserting that Arunachal Pradesh is an inalienable part of India and criticized China’s actions as violations of international air travel conventions and its own transit regulations.
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China successfully debuts safety tech for lithium battery air cargo
In a groundbreaking development, China has successfully launched an advanced safety system for the air transport of power lithium batteries, addressing long-standing global challenges in the safe transportation of high-risk energy products. The inaugural flight, operated by SF Express, took off from Ezhou Huahu International Airport in Hubei Province on Tuesday, coinciding with a seminar on power battery air logistics supply chains held in Ezhou. The event brought together industry experts and enterprise representatives to discuss solutions to development bottlenecks.
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China decries prejudicial nature of some overseas-made games
The Ministry of State Security in China has raised concerns over certain overseas-produced video games, accusing them of embedding discriminatory portrayals of Chinese people and distorting China’s territorial integrity. In a recent article published on its official WeChat account, the ministry highlighted the risks these games pose to national security, urging the public to remain vigilant and strengthen their cybersecurity awareness.
The ministry pointed out that some games developed by foreign companies feature character designs, storylines, and art styles that perpetuate stereotypes and prejudice against Chinese communities. These games often depict Chinese characters as sinister and deceitful, engaging in violent acts that violate local laws. Additionally, the ministry criticized certain games for misrepresenting China’s territory, such as labeling the Xizang autonomous region as part of British India in a World War II simulation game.
Furthermore, the article noted that some in-game maps inaccurately depict borders involving Aksai Chin and Zangnan, and portray Taiwan as separate from the Chinese mainland. The ministry emphasized that safeguarding China’s territorial integrity is a non-negotiable principle and called for heightened vigilance when cultural products like games involve China’s boundaries or map labels.
The ministry also revealed that foreign espionage and intelligence agencies have infiltrated the gaming sector, using deceptive tactics to target players. One example cited was an overseas game that bypassed regulatory review by offering in-game rewards for watching advertisements, which covertly delivered ‘spy recruitment’ messages disguised as collaboration or part-time work offers.
To combat these threats, the ministry advised the public to download games through official app stores and avoid unknown download links or installation packages. It also urged citizens to report any suspicious activities that may endanger national security via the hotline 12339, the online reporting platform (www.12339.gov.cn), or directly to local national security authorities.
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Chinese researchers help realize non-invasive insulin delivery through skin
Millions of diabetes patients worldwide may soon bid farewell to the discomfort of daily insulin injections, thanks to a groundbreaking discovery by Chinese researchers. A team led by scholars from Zhejiang University has achieved the world’s first non-invasive delivery of insulin through the skin, offering a pain-free alternative with efficacy comparable to traditional injections. The findings, published in the prestigious journal Nature, mark a significant leap in diabetes treatment. The innovative approach utilizes a polymer called OP, which exhibits exceptional permeability in skin tissues, enabling the delivery of insulin without disrupting the skin barrier. This breakthrough not only addresses the physical and psychological challenges associated with injections but also opens doors for the transdermal delivery of other biological macromolecules, such as therapeutic proteins and monoclonal antibodies. The technology, already transferred to enterprises for clinical translation, holds immense potential to revolutionize treatment for chronic diseases requiring long-term injections.