Russia's visa-free policy for Chinese citizens takes effect
Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree on Monday allowing Chinese nationals to enter Russia visa-free for tourism or business purposes for a period not exceeding 30 days, based on the principle of reciprocity.
The decree took effect immediately upon its signing.
Under the decree, until Sept. 14, 2026, Chinese citizens holding regular People's Republic of China passports have the right to enter Russia and stay for no more than 30 days for purposes including family visits, business trips, tourism, participation in scientific, cultural, socio-political, economic or sports events, as well as transit through Russian territory and exit from the country, without obtaining a visa.
Russian forces capture cities of Krasnoarmeysk, Volchansk: Kremlin
Russian President Vladimir Putin was briefed on Sunday evening that the Russian forces had taken control of Krasnoarmeysk in the Donetsk region and Volchansk in the Kharkov region, the Kremlin said in a statement on Monday.
The president received the reports from Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces Valery Gerasimov, Commander of the Centre Force Valery Solodchuk and Commander of the East Force Andrei Ivanayev, said the statement.
Trump suggests "good chance" for peace deal on Ukraine
U.S. President Donald Trump suggested on Sunday that there was a "good chance" for a peace deal to be reached to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict that has lasted nearly four years.
His remarks came after a roughly four-hour high-level U.S.-Ukraine meeting in the U.S. state of Florida earlier on Sunday.
The talks were "going along, and they're going along well," Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One.
"I think that there's a good chance we can make a deal," he said.
European leaders reject Russia-Ukraine peace deal shaped without Ukrainians, Europeans
French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and other European leaders on Monday rejected any Ukraine peace deal negotiated "without Ukrainians and Europeans."
Macron said Monday that any "peace plan" concerning the Russia-Ukraine conflict could only be finalized with both Ukraine and Europe involved in negotiations.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz also said on Monday that Germany stands against any "dictated peace" over the heads of Ukraine.
Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics said on Monday that Europe must also be at the negotiating table, commenting on a possible peace agreement in Ukraine.
U.S. military threats in Caribbean pose risk to oil stability: Venezuelan president
The United States' military threats in the Caribbean could jeopardize global energy market stability, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro warned in a letter to the Secretary General of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), Haitham Al Ghais.
In the letter, Maduro said that U.S. President Donald Trump has been waging "a campaign of harassment and threats" against the Latin American country since August.
The deployment of more than 14 U.S. warships and 15,000 troops in the Caribbean Sea is creating a climate of tension that could disrupt regional security and affect energy supplies, he said.
Israeli forces conduct new ground incursion in S. Syria's Quneitra
Israeli forces carried out a new ground incursion into Syria's Quneitra countryside on Monday amid heightened military activity near the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, according to a monitoring group and Syrian state media.
Britain-based watchdog the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that an Israeli patrol consisting of two military vehicles and a convoy including three tanks and two troop carriers moved into several areas in central Quneitra, supported by drones and armored vehicles.
Syria's state-run al-Ikhbariyah television reported later that Israeli forces fired on residential homes in Abu Qubais village in southern Quneitra, but did not report casualties.■
