This strategic move is designed to counter China's dominance in the sector at a time of crisis in bilateral relations. The Chikyu drilling vessel is set to leave on Sunday for the Pacific island of Minami Torishima. Experts believe the seabed around it could contain the world's third-largest deposit.

After the floods, suspicions grew about the fate of farm animals. Health inspectors discovered illegal trafficking of chicken meat from animal carcasses: 120 kilos of meat destined for restaurants and canteens in various locations in the Puttalam district were seized.

The accounts of Mirziyoyev's daughters offer a glimpse into the private lives of their families, demonstrating the leaders' closeness to the people, an important element of today's “political technology”. The counter-current case of Nazarbayev's grandson who - having fallen into disgrace due to drug addiction - accused all his relatives of being “greedy and insatiable”.

Fighting in Syria’s northern metropolis between the army and YPG forces has entered its third day. The suburbs of Ashrafiyeh and Sheikh Maqsood have been declared "closed military areas”. The authorities imposed a curfew, with one resident calling the situation "terrible and awful”. Turkey offered support to al-Sharaa.

The 'Yesterday’ project, which reports from abroad on protests in China, selected the 10 most significant collective initiatives of the past year, offering a snapshot of activism in China. It features “unsung heroes” who together defend the rights of workers, parents, students, and small businesses, often challenging the agents of repression.

The 170 cardinals chose synodality and evangelisation as the main themes. There was no written document at the end, but listening and sharing are “the way” to follow. For Leo XIV, the Church can “offer a model of collegiality”. The relationship with local Churches must be boosted since it is harder to consult them. The College is called to be a “community of faith” rather than “a mere group of experts.”