Russian President Vladimir Putin met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing during his first foreign visit of 2026, as both leaders pushed for deeper strategic cooperation and a “multipolar world order.” The closely watched summit came just days after Donald Trump’s visit to China. Xi described the current international environment as “complex and volatile” and appeared to take a swipe at US “unilateral hegemony.” Putin and Xi held closed-door talks before broader delegation-level meetings.

The standoff between the United States and Iran is entering a dangerous new phase as Tehran issues a powerful warning against any fresh American military action. Iranian military officials have threatened to “open new fronts” against the US if Washington resumes strikes, triggering fresh fears of a wider conflict across West Asia and the Middle East. As tensions rise, US President Donald Trump is reviewing military options while high-level security meetings continue inside the White House. Reports suggest the US administration has given Iran a narrow window to reach an agreement before the possibility of renewed military operations moves closer to reality.