Aggregator

Nithya Raman draws questions after engaging with Dear White Staffers Instagram account

Putin To Visit China Just Days After Trump's Beijing Trip, Demonstrating 'No Limits' Partnership

Russian President Vladimir Putin will visit Chinese President Xi Jinping from May 19 to 20, just days after US President Donald Trump concluded his state visit to Beijing, the Kremlin has announced.

In a Telegram statement, Russia's Foreign Ministry unveiled that Putin would travel to China "at the invitation" of Xi Jinping, marking the 25th anniversary of the Treaty of Good-Neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation between Russia and China.

RIA Novosti/EPA

The readout indicates the two leaders will discuss expanding their countries' "comprehensive partnership and strategic cooperation" and exchange views on "key international and regional issues."

"Following the talks, they are expected to sign a Joint Statement at the highest level, as well as a number of bilateral intergovernmental, interdepartmental and other documents," the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

Putin is also scheduled to meet Chinese Premier Li Qiang to discuss economic and trade cooperation. While all of this was likely in the planning stages long ago, the timing and symbolism sends a resounding message, at a moment when ironically Trump's China trip ended notably without any major breakthroughs on trade, or without resolving any aspect of the Iran war or Hormuz Strait crisis.

South China Morning Post notes additionally of the timing:

It will be the first time that China has hosted the leaders of the two powers in the same month outside a multilateral setting, a reflection of Beijing’s efforts to manage ties with both countries and position itself as a pivotal power amid an increasingly fractured world order.

Putin’s visit will also make China the first country to host all four leaders of the other permanent members of the UN Security Council within months of each other. France’s Emmanuel Macron visited Beijing in December followed by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer in January.

However, Putin is a more frequent visitor to Beijing in recent years, and per SCMP: "Sources said Putin’s visit would not likely feature that scale of pomp, as Chinese officials had been busy with the Trump trip."

But it will be a meeting among allies, and not rivals, after President Xi's "no limits" alliance pledged with Putin just before the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

🇺🇸🇨🇳 Trump wanted to feel important after Xi invited him to Zhongnanhai, so he asked if any other world leaders had been there.

Xi told him it was rare... but that Putin had visited several times. pic.twitter.com/TwEJGwtM1m

— DD Geopolitics (@DD_Geopolitics) May 15, 2026

"Following the talks, they are expected to sign a Joint Statement at the highest level, as well as a number of bilateral intergovernmental, interdepartmental and other documents," the ministry's statement said.

Tyler Durden Sat, 05/16/2026 - 16:55

The actor doubled-down on his choice of headwear while at the Cannes Film Festival on Saturday.

The actor doubled-down on his choice of headwear while at the Cannes Film Festival on Saturday.

A father of triplets killed when a car slammed into a crowded NYC sidewalk was waiting for his mother’s bus when he was struck – and it was a longtime friend behind the wheel.

The Thunder and Spurs meet in one of the most highly anticipated NBA playoff matchups in recent history.

The current landscape of starting pitching in fantasy baseball is in an absolute state of emergency.

In Taliban-controlled Afghanistan, girls can effectively be sold before they are even old enough to walk.

Restaurants are making up for the wine revenue shortfall in other ways.

The mom of two shared a glimpse into her Saturday morning with her daughter.

The mom of two shared a glimpse into her Saturday morning with her daughter.

Hasselhoff last sparked health concerns in April when he was seen using a walker during an outing with his wife.

Hasselhoff last sparked health concerns in April when he was seen using a walker during an outing with his wife.

Steven McDonald, 40, fought to free himself from an escalator just outside of Boston that ended up fatally injuring him as a dozen people passed by without stopping.

A sea of flag-waving Brits estimated at 50,000 flooded Kingsway before marching across London Bridge and rallying in Parliament Square with many protesters wearing “Make England Great Again” hats.

Great white sharks are expected to increase in number within Southern California's waters this summer due to a particularly warm Pacific Ocean, an expert said.

Pakistan Uses Diplomacy To Secure LNG Supply from Hormuz

Submitted by Charles Kennedy of OilPrice.com

Pakistan has negotiated the passage of vessels laden with Qatari LNG out of the Strait of Hormuz in a diplomatic feat that no other energy buyer has managed so far in the Iran war.

Pakistan, which was the mediator of the U.S.-Iran talks and is passing messages from one to the other, appears to have used well its close ties with both Qatar and Iran to negotiate the successful imports of two tankers with Qatari LNG.

Pakistan has relied on Qatar's term LNG supply for years, but the war in the Middle East has led to the shutdown of Qatari LNG production and exports.

Without Qatar's LNG, Pakistan has been reeling from an intensifying energy crisis with power outages and fuel rationing.

Thanks to a bilateral Pakistan-Iran agreement, two vessels carrying Qatari LNG arrived in Pakistan in recent days after successfully passing through the Strait of Hormuz.

The first LNG cargo that successfully cleared the chokepoint earlier this month was bound for Pakistan.

"Qatar-linked LNG movement through Hormuz showed a limited but significant restart," maritime intelligence firm Windward said on Thursday in an analysis on the five weeks of ceasefire.

The Al Kharaitiyat on May 9 became the first Qatar LNG cargo to clear the Strait of Hormuz since Iran closed it on February 28, headed for Pakistan. Another Qatari LNG cargo arrived in Pakistan this week after clearing the chokepoint earlier in the week.

"Pakistan will continue to coordinate closely with Qatar to ensure uninterrupted LNG supplies," Pakistan's Federal Minister for Petroleum, Ali Pervaiz Malik, said on Thursday during a meeting with Qatar's Ambassador to Pakistan, Ali bin Mubarak Al-Khater.

"Pakistan's preference is to secure supplies from friendly brotherly countries through necessary approvals, without risking any loss of life or property," the Pakistani minister said, adding that "efforts are underway to secure additional gas supplies in view of national energy requirements."

Tyler Durden Sat, 05/16/2026 - 16:20

"Michael" returned to the top of the box office after moonwalking down a step last week.

"Michael" returned to the top of the box office after moonwalking down a step last week.

Alonso talked with Chelsea in the past week and is expected to sign a four-year contract.