Explosions were heard in Venezuela

As China works to narrow the development gap between cities and the countryside, the transformation of Jiaxing City in eastern Zhejiang Province is reflected in something as ordinary as a bus ride, Xinhua reports.

One spring afternoon in 2004, Xi Jinping, then secretary of Zhejiang Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), stepped onto a bus in downtown Jiaxing and rode more than 20 kilometers to the rural end of the route.

Xi wanted to see for himself how the city's new urban-rural bus service was faring. Launched in 2003, it was among the earliest bus lines in Zhejiang - and even in China - to directly link the city with the countryside.

During the journey, Xi struck up a conversation with conductor Jin Lijun, asking about changes since the route opened.

This bus route winds its way to Sanxing Village, a well-known peach-growing area. In the past, farmers took their harvests only as far as the township market to sell. The new bus line carried them straight into the city, where their peaches could fetch higher prices.

Xi also invited passengers to share their views on the service - what still needed improvement and what they hoped to see next. The bus came alive with conversation.

After getting off the bus, Xi spoke with nearby villagers and listened to their views on urban-rural integration. They talked enthusiastically about the changes the new service had brought to their daily lives.

Such scenes reflected an approach Xi had long emphasized throughout his political career: pursuing projects that genuinely benefit the public and shaping policies by listening directly to the people they affect.

Among the concerns raised during the bus tour was a request for traffic lights at an intersection of a highway and a township road. Xi immediately instructed local authorities to look into the matter.

The 40-minute ride also gave him a firsthand look at infrastructure bottlenecks. Xi suggested widening a narrow road to improve accessibility and facilitate more convenient travel between urban and rural areas.

By then, Jiaxing had already opened 36 such bus routes linking 30 townships and 238 administrative villages - part of the efforts to close the urban-rural divide that had emerged alongside China's rapid economic development.

When Xi began working in Zhejiang in late 2002, he spent months traveling across the province to understand its realities on the ground. During visits to villages, he spoke with grassroots officials and farmers, guided by a central question: how could Zhejiang's over 30 million rural residents share more fully in the benefits of growth?

In July 2003, Xi unveiled a development strategy that made coordinated urban-rural development and deeper integration between city and countryside a long-term priority for Zhejiang. Integrated bus services in Jiaxing were among the first initiatives.

A bus route generated no headline-grabbing economic statistics, yet it quietly transformed daily lives for thousands of residents. In Xi's view, addressing people's everyday concerns is what constitutes meaningful public service and a genuine measure of governance achievement.

For Xi, pursuing achievements that genuinely benefit the people has long been rooted in his identity as a CPC member. As he has said, the Party was born for the people and has prospered because of the people. "Serving the people wholeheartedly is the ultimate purpose of our Party's actions and what distinguishes the CPC from all others," he noted.

That conviction took shape in Xi's early years. More than half a century ago, while working in a poor rural area of northwest China, he led villagers in digging wells, building terraced fields and installing biogas pits to improve daily life. It was the first chapter in a political journey that would later take him through various levels of governance before eventually reaching China's top leadership - with striving to improve people's lives remaining a consistent thread throughout.

In November 2012, after being elected general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, Xi told journalists from China and abroad: "The Chinese people's aspiration for a better life is the goal we must strive for."

Over the past two decades, Zhejiang has steadily moved toward the goals Xi laid out during his time in the province. It is now among China's most balanced regions in terms of the urban-rural income gap, with the ratio narrowing from 2.43:1 in 2003 to 1.81:1 in 2025. Part of that shift has come from the rise of rural industries with local features.

Public services have also spread deeper into rural areas. Zhejiang is one of the first provinces to provide passenger bus access to every administrative village. Today, integrated urban-rural bus networks cover more than 90 percent of the province. Basic public services in other areas have also improved, leading to more equitable and balanced access to high-quality services for both urban and rural residents.

In Jiaxing, the bus route Xi took is still in service, but the landscape along the route has quietly changed. Buses once crowded with farmers are now also carrying urban visitors heading to the countryside for fruit-picking trips, camping, or music festivals.

Jin, the conductor, is now a ride-hailing driver. "I go back and forth between the city and the countryside every day," Jin said. "You can really feel the gap narrowing year by year."

As China kicks off its 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030) and enters the final decade toward its 2035 goal of basically achieving modernization, officials' understanding of performance has come under renewed scrutiny, seen as central to delivering on long-term development targets.

Later that month, the CPC initiated a Party-wide study campaign, urging members -- especially officials at the county level and above -- to establish and practice a correct understanding of governance performance, which prioritizes people's well-being and values long-term, tangible results that may not be immediately visible, yet delivered through sound decision-making and concrete actions.

In March, Xi returned to the theme during a group deliberation with national lawmakers. "Party officials and members should be guided to work diligently," he said, "and to deliver results that stand up in practice, in the eyes of the people, and over the course of time."

 

Eight people, including a nine-month-old infant, were killed after a bus crashed and caught fire in western Türkiye early Sunday, WAM reported.

The bus crashed into highway barriers in Denizli Province at 01:40 local time while travelling from Izmir to the Mediterranean city of Antalya with 38 passengers and three crew members on board, Demiroren News Agency reported.

The accident also left 33 people injured. Among those killed were the 50-year-old driver and the father of the infant.

 

Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to China is widely expected to elevate bilateral relations further and inject much-needed stability and positive momentum into a turbulent world, Xinhua reports.

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the China-Russia strategic partnership of coordination and the 25th anniversary of the signing of the China-Russia Treaty of Good-Neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation.

These milestones underscore the maturity and resilience of a relationship defined by mutual respect for each other's core interests and major concerns as well as mutually beneficial cooperation, while both sides pursue development paths suited to their own national conditions.

Guided by the strategic visions of the two heads of state, China-Russia relations have been continuously advancing to higher levels and expanding to broader dimensions, serving as a model for major-country relations in the new era. Since 2013, the two leaders have met more than 40 times on bilateral and multilateral occasions.

The China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era has grown steadily stronger and more substantive, underpinned by deepening political mutual trust, enduring good-neighborly friendship and practical cooperation across multiple fields.

Institutionalized dialogue mechanisms among ministries and agencies at all levels have continued to deliver fruitful outcomes, supported by mutual backing for each other's development interests. Energy cooperation remains a cornerstone of China-Russia ties, anchored by solid foundations and the steady progress of major infrastructure projects.

According to China's Ministry of Commerce, bilateral trade reached approximately 228 billion U.S. dollars in 2025, exceeding the 200-billion-dollar threshold for the third consecutive year. China has remained Russia's largest trading partner for 16 consecutive years.

Strategic coordination has also galvanized vibrant cultural exchanges, further strengthening mutual understanding and friendship between the two peoples. The China-Russia Years of Education, starting this year, are set to feature hundreds of exchange events, building on the success of previous theme years dedicated to culture, sports and sci-tech innovation.

Mutual visa-free policies have significantly facilitated people-to-people exchanges between the two countries. According to the Association of Tour Operators of Russia, over 150,000 Chinese tourists visited Russia in the first quarter of 2026, up 44.4 percent year on year, while Russian trips to China rose 33.6 percent in 2025.

Beyond bilateral cooperation, China and Russia also play an important role in amplifying the voice of the Global South and promoting a multipolar international order.

The world today is witnessing profound transformation and mounting turbulence, as the post-war international order comes under strain, established norms governing international relations are increasingly challenged, geopolitical conflicts intensify, and the risk of a return to the law of the jungle grows.

The strategic coordination between China and Russia is of great significance for maintaining global strategic stability, and upholding multilateralism and the international order.

China and Russia have been pooling global efforts to firmly uphold fairness and justice, defend the victorious outcomes of the World War II, and safeguard the UN-centered international system and the basic norms of international law.

In response to a more uncertain and unstable international landscape, Beijing and Moscow should strengthen multilateral coordination, uphold and practice multilateralism, and work together to revitalize the authority and vitality of the United Nations.

They should also maintain close coordination and cooperation within frameworks such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and BRICS, and promote the development of the international order toward a more just and equitable direction.

As the world is undergoing profound changes, the continued resilience of China-Russia relations carry significance far beyond the bilateral level.

Their cooperation demonstrates that major-country relations can move beyond bloc confrontation and zero-sum rivalry, and instead contribute to multipolarity, the democratization of international relations, and greater stability and certainty in a changing world.

 

Latvian centre-right Prime Minister Evika Silina has announced her resignation, after the Progressives Party, her left-leaning coalition partner, pulled support from the government and left her without a majority, aljazeera.com reports.

Her resignation came days after Latvia’s Defence Minister Andris Spruds, from the Progressives Party, was forced to resign over the government’s handling of several incidents involving stray drones suspected to be from Ukraine crossing into Latvian territory. Silina said at the time that Spruds had lost her trust and that of the public.

The drone incidents "clearly demonstrated that the political leadership of the defence sector has failed to fulfil its promise of safe skies over our country", Silina said on Sunday, explaining Spruds’s resignation.

 

The Global South Media and Think Tank Forum Chinese-Arab Partnership Conference opened Tuesday at the headquarters of the League of Arab States in the Egyptian capital of Cairo, Xinhua reports.

The two-day event, under the theme "Pooling Wisdom, Embarking on a New Journey: Jointly Building a China-Arab Community with a Shared Future," gathers about 250 representatives from around 110 media outlets, think tanks, government institutions, enterprises from China and Arab countries, as well as from international and regional organizations.

In his opening remarks, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, secretary-general of the League of Arab States, said that countries of the Global South are facing a wide range of challenges. The Global Governance Initiative proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping, he noted, has opened up broad prospects for promoting the democratization of international relations, narrowing the North-South divide, resolving global crises through peaceful means, and building a better future together.

Arab and Chinese media outlets and think tanks urgently need to strengthen cooperation, build consensus, foster strong bonds between the Arab and Chinese peoples, and promote a more just and equitable international order, he stressed.

Holding the Global South Media and Think Tank Forum Chinese-Arab Partnership Conference at the headquarters of the League of Arab States carries important significance, Gheit said, noting that it will promote experience-sharing between Arab and Chinese media outlets and think tanks, open up broader prospects for cooperation, deepen exchanges and mutual learning in ideas and civilizations between the two countries, and make Arab-China media and think tanks an important pillar in strengthening Arab-China friendship.

President of Xinhua News Agency Fu Hua, for his part, said that under the strategic guidance of President Xi and the leaders of Arab states, China-Arab relations have entered their best period in history: strategic mutual trust has been steadily deepened, cooperation across multiple fields has continued to expand, and people-to-people and cultural exchanges have yielded fruitful results.

Media and think tanks play a vital role in China-Arab friendship and cooperation by amplifying voices, contributing intellectual insight, and connecting hearts, Fu said, stressing that Xinhua will continue to promote and explain in depth the idea of a community with a shared future for mankind and the four major global initiatives proposed by President Xi, fully showcase the vivid practice of China and Arab countries walking hand in hand and engaging in pragmatic cooperation, further improve and strengthen cooperation mechanisms between Chinese and Arab media and think tanks, promote closer exchanges through more practical measures, advance exchanges and mutual learning between civilizations and closer people-to-people ties, and contribute media and think-tank strength to building a China-Arab community with a shared future in the new era.

In his address, Chinese Ambassador to Egypt Liao Liqiang said that 10 years ago, President Xi visited the headquarters of the League of Arab States and delivered an important speech in this very hall, offering China's answer to the "Middle East question," stressing that recalling it today makes it all the more instructive.

Not long ago, President Xi put forward a four-point proposal on safeguarding and promoting peace and stability in the Middle East, which has received broad support and a positive response from the international community, Liao added.

The League of Arab States is an important platform for Arab countries to strengthen solidarity and self-reliance, he said, noting China-Arab relations have a long and enduring history, and this year marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Arab states.

The Chinese ambassador expressed his belief that the forum will further promote the exchange of governance experience between China and Arab countries and deepen their traditional friendship and people-to-people bonds. The Chinese side, he said, stands ready to work with Arab friends to carry forward the spirit of China-Arab friendship and stride forward on the bright path toward building a higher-level China-Arab community with a shared future.

Chinese and foreign guests attending the event said that China and Arab countries, as important members of the Global South, have always been committed to promoting peace and development and deepening mutually beneficial cooperation, playing an important role in advancing international fairness and justice and improving global governance.

They added that China-Arab cooperation has become a model of solidarity and common development among developing countries, expressing hope that Global South media outlets and think tanks will further deepen China-Arab exchanges and mutual learning, build consensus on development, promote more practical cooperation outcomes, and advance substantive cooperation between Chinese and Arab media and think tanks.

Fu presented Gheit with the Arabic edition of the book China's Governance Under Xi Jinping's Leadership. The opening ceremony also featured a China-Arab art exhibition titled "Art Integration: Across Millennia, the Silk Road Culture Endures," as well as a certificate-awarding ceremony honoring outstanding contributions by Global South joint communication partners.

The conference is co-hosted by Xinhua and the League of Arab States. During the event, participants will conduct in-depth discussions on topics including peaceful development, diverse narratives, digital innovation, and mutual learning among civilizations. A think-tank report titled "Achievements, Opportunities, and Prospects of China-Arab Cooperation in the New Era" will also be released.

 

A 3.4-magnitude earthquake struck near Redlands in Southern California on Friday evening, close to the border between Riverside and San Bernardino counties, Qazinform News Agency reports, citing the U.S. Geological Survey.

According to the USGS, the tremor occurred at 6:40 p.m. local time approximately 4 miles southwest of Redlands. The earthquake originated at a shallow depth of around 2 miles below the surface.

The latest seismic event marks the third notable earthquake recorded in the Inland Empire region this week. Earlier on Friday, a 3.3-magnitude quake was reported in the same area, while a separate 3.1-magnitude tremor struck San Bernardino County on Wednesday morning.

Authorities continue to remind residents and visitors across California to stay prepared for seismic activity. The state’s Earthquake Readiness Guide notes that earthquakes may occur at any moment and encourages individuals, families, and businesses to use preparedness plans and early warning technologies to respond quickly during emergencies.

 

The Xinhua Institute, a think tank affiliated with Xinhua News Agency, released a report titled "The Theory of Cultural Empowerment: China's Cultural Consciousness in Marching Toward High-Quality Development" on Thursday, Xinhua reports.

The report was issued during a forum on exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations to mark the 20th anniversary of the China-Greece comprehensive strategic partnership.

The report systematically elaborates on the underlying logic of empowering economic and social development through culture, along with China's practices, methodology and global inspirations in this field.

For China, empowering economic and social development with culture is an inevitable requirement for the new stage of development, a contemporary innovation of Marxist cultural theory, and a strategic choice amid the evolving global landscape of competition and cooperation among civilizations, said the report.

Guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Culture, China is leveraging culture to foster new drivers of economic growth, unleash consumer vitality, promote effective social governance, and build momentum for development, it said.

Scholars attending the forum said that empowering economic and social development through culture provides crucial theoretical guidance and practical pathways for addressing global development bottlenecks, promoting both material progress and cultural-ethical advancement, and building a community with a shared future for humanity.

Full text: The Theory of Cultural Empowerment: China's Cultural Consciousness in Marching Toward High-Quality Development

 

U.S. President Donald Trump has been evacuated from the White House Correspondents' Dinner after what appears to be a security incident at the event, according to a live broadcast on Saturday night, Xinhua reports.

Attendees were seen on the live broadcast ducking around their tables and taking cover. Multiple news outlets reported that gunshots were heard in the White House ballroom.

Organizers announced that the program will resume momentarily, but did not offer more details.

This would mark Trump's first time attending the White House Correspondents' Dinner.