Foreign Minister Says Cutting China Out of Trade Would Be Historic Mistake

MUNICH — China’s foreign minister told a gathering of international security policy officials Saturday that trying to shut China out of trade in the name of avoiding dependency would be a historic mistake. Wang Yi spoke at the Munich Security Conference. Host Germany wants to avoid over-reliance on trade with an increasingly assertive China and diversify …

Russian Emigres Gather Around Globe to Mourn Navalny, Denounce Putin

BERLIN/VILNIUS, Lithuania — Hundreds of protesters, many of them Russian emigres, gathered in cities across Europe and beyond on Friday to express their outrage over the death of Kremlin critic Alexey Navalny. Often gathering outside Russian embassies, they chanted slogans critical of Russian President Vladimir Putin, whom they blamed for the activist’s death, holding up signs …

US Suggests Russia Can Be Talked Out of Launching New Anti-Satellite System 

washington — Russian plans to launch a new, space-based anti-satellite weapon system that could potentially wreak havoc on Earth are not set in stone, according to U.S. President Joe Biden, who suggested Friday that there was a still a chance to persuade Moscow to change course. Word of the new Russian threat began spreading Wednesday after …

UN Chief Calls for Investigation Into Reported Death of Navalny

new york — United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed shock Friday on the reported death of jailed Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny and called for a credible investigation into his death.   “The secretary-general expresses his condolences to Mr. Navalny’s family and calls for a full, credible and transparent investigation into the circumstances of Mr. Navalny’s …

Wars in Israel, Ukraine to Dominate Global Security Summit in Munich

BERLIN/MUNICH — Leading politicians, military officers and diplomats from around the world gather in Munich on Friday for a security conference that will be dominated by the wars in Israel and Ukraine as well as fears over the U.S. commitment to defending its allies. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris and Ukrainian President …

Russia Highly Unlikely to Put Nuclear Warhead in Space, Analysts Say

washington — The space-based weapon U.S. intelligence believes Russia may be developing is more likely a nuclear-powered device to blind, jam or fry the electronics inside satellites than an explosive nuclear warhead to shoot them down, analysts said on Thursday. The intelligence came to light on Wednesday after Representative Mike Turner, Republican chair of the U.S. …

US Confirms Russia Pursuing ‘Space-Based’ Anti-Satellite System

WASHINGTON — The new national security threat that sent some in Washington into a tizzy and sparked calls urging Americans not to panic, is a new Russian anti-satellite capability, the White House confirmed Thursday, again emphasizing there is no immediate threat to life or limb. White House National Security spokesperson John Kirby declined to go into …

Russia Developing ‘Anti-Satellite Capability,’ White House Confirms

Russia is developing an anti-satellite weapon, the White House confirmed Thursday, after a lawmaker sounded an alarm over what he described as a serious national security threat. While White House officials say it could land Moscow in violation of a treaty banning weapons of mass destruction in space. They said it is not an urgent …

Sweden Phasing Out Development Aid to Cambodia, Spurring Anxiety 

phnom penh, cambodia — The Swedish government will phase out bilateral development cooperation with Cambodia by the end of this year, raising concerns among civil society groups likely to see their budgets shrink. In 2023, the Swedish government provided about $17 million to civil society groups in Cambodia focusing on strengthening human rights, democracy and the …