China: First foreign national prosecuted over Hong Kong protests

Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has said that the success of negotiations depends on Russia approaching them with good faith without dictating ultimatums. He spoke with France 24's Marc Perelman about the situation in the cities of Mariupol and Odessa, the negotiations that will take place on Monday and what Ukraine expects from Europe.

It's estimated that thousands of foreigners have answered Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's call to defend Ukraine. What ramifications could that have?

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The finance ministry has said its ability to make foreign payments has been hampered by sanctions. If Russia is unable to make the payments within a 30-day grace period, it will face its first default on international debt in more than a century.

The Russian government made a $117 million interest payment to foreign bondholders on Wednesday, averting what would have been its first foreign debt default since the Bolshevik Party shocked Western investors in 1918 by refusing to repay the borrowings of Czar Nicholas II.

Some EU governments are pushing for an embargo on Russian oil and gas to punish Moscow for its war against Ukraine and force a Russian military withdrawal.

The omicron variant is driving case numbers in parts of China to levels not seen since coronavirus first emerged. But keeping case numbers at near zero means continued disruptions and lockdowns.

Relations between India and China took a nosedive after deadly border clashes in June 2020. The Chinese foreign minister's visit marks the first high-level trip by a Chinese official in nearly two years.

Beijing's top diplomat Wang Yi has met with top Taliban leaders in Kabul for the first time since the fundamentalist group took power in August. Wang also visited India amid a controversy regarding Kashmir.

After the murder of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, Malta has become a byword for violence and corruption. How can the small EU country improve its tarnished image?

In an interview with FRANCE 24 and RFI on Wednesday, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said talks between Russian and Ukrainian envoys had led to various declarations but "no action", adding that it was time Russia made some moves toward conciliation. He also warned of an "appalling" situation unfolding in the port city of Mariupol in southern Ukraine.

Brussels is seeking to warn Beijing about supporting Russia's invasion of Ukraine — and to use its influence to stop the war. Some experts, however, are skeptical about what can be achieved during the EU-China summit.