China is closing the gap with America in high-tech weaponry
Jeremy Page, The Economist 's Asia diplomatic editor, and Shashank Joshi, our defence editor, ask: what role did Chinese weapons play in the latest India-Pakistan flare-up? And what might that mean for the future of warfare in Asia—and beyond?
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Scottish Sun
an hour ago
- Scottish Sun
Everything you need to know about a Trump, Putin, Zelensky showdown summit – and who has the upper hand
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A HISTORIC meeting between Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin and maybe Volodymyr Zelensky could finally decide the fate of the war in Ukraine. With battlefields burning and sanctions ready to bite, this diplomatic showdown could be the start of peace - or another powder keg. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 8 President Donald Trump (L) and Russian President Vladimir Putin are set to meet as early as next week to discuss Ukraine Credit: Getty 8 Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky could also join the historic summit Credit: AFP 8 This isn't just another summit – it's a historic high-stakes gamble. Trump is betting big that Putin wants peace, that Zelensky can stomach compromise, and that America's economic firepower can bring the war to an end. Here is everything you need to know about the major meeting and the men comprising the most explosive political triangle in years. When and where could the summit take place? Trump could sit down with Mad Vlad Putin as early as next week, according to the White House. A trilateral meeting including Zelensky is also on the table - a diplomatic first if it happens. A top aide to Putin, Yuri Ushakov, announced that 'an agreement was agreed in principle to hold a bilateral summit in the coming days,' following a suggestion from the American side. All parties are now working on the details, and while the venue has been agreed, it will be revealed later. The possibility of a trilateral meeting with Zelensky was also raised by US special envoy Steve Witkoff during his talks with Putin yesterday — though Ushakov says Moscow has, for now, left that idea 'without comment.' Don and Vlad last met in person at the G20 summit in Osaka, Japan, on June 28, 2019, during Trump's first term as America's leader. And if Zelensky joins the upcoming meeting, it would mark the first time all three leaders sit at the same table since war erupted in 2022. Russia and China begin war games in Sea of Japan after Trump nuclear threat What will be discussed? One issue dominates: peace in Ukraine. Trump's administration says it is pushing hard for a deal. His special envoy, Steve Witkoff, just wrapped up a three-hour meeting with Putin in Moscow this week, which Trump called "highly productive". But there's a clock ticking. The Republican strongman slashed his original 50-day deadline for a Ukraine peace deal to just 10 days - and that deadline expires Friday. If Putin doesn't budge, Trump is poised to hammer Moscow - and its enablers - with crippling secondary sanctions. India has already been hit with 50 per cent tariffs over its Russian oil purchases - and China could be next. Trump warned: "We did it with India. We're doing it probably with a couple of others. One of them could be China." The White House says Trump has made it clear there will be "biting sanctions" if Russia doesn't agree to a ceasefire. Who has the upper hand? Right now, everything hangs in the balance - and the power dynamic could shift in a heartbeat. Hamish de Bretton-Gordon, former British Army officer and military analyst, said the fact the summit is even happening is a win in itself. But as for who's calling the shots? That's where things get complicated. Noting the Russian leader still believes he's making ground in Ukraine, the expert told The Sun: 'Until fairly recently, it's been pretty clear that President Putin has absolutely no desire for peace. 'His aim at the beginning of his special military operation over three and a half years ago was to subjugate the whole of Ukraine.' According to de Bretton-Gordon, Trump has only recently woken up to the fact that he's being played. 8 US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin shake hands during a meeting in 2017 Credit: AFP or licensors 8 Putin greets Trump's Special Envoy Steve Witkoff in Moscow for last-minute talks Credit: AFP 8 US special envoy Steve Witkoff seen deep in conversation with Russia's Kirill Dmitriev in a park near the Kremlin before his meeting with Putin Credit: East2West 'It would appear that Trump has had a bit of an epiphany, a bit of a change of mind, and has now realised that Putin has been playing him.' And now, Don is bringing the businessman in him and threatening to hit Russia where it hurts most: the wallet. 'If Trump follows through with his sanctions and tariffs… then this is the reason I think that Putin has come to the table,' de Bretton-Gordon explained. 'Economic and financial analysts who really know about these things believe that the Russian economy would peter out pretty quickly without the massive amounts of money and resources it gets from oil.' In other words, Trump holds the economic sledgehammer — if he's willing to swing it. But Putin isn't out of the game. His forces are still advancing, still hammering Ukrainian cities, and still killing civilians. 'Russia seems to be moving forward slowly,' de Bretton-Gordon warned. 'Attacking civilian targets in Ukraine at an unbelievable scale.' Zelensky, meanwhile, remains the wild card. 'The people who are most important here are the Ukrainians,' he said. 'A bad deal for Ukraine is worse than no deal at all.' And that's the real risk. Trump might be chasing headlines, not justice. 'I think Trump probably just wants to get a deal of some description,' the former army officer said. 'One just hopes that Trump doesn't try and do some sort of backhand deal with Putin, just so that he can claim that there is now peace in Ukraine, because the short-term peace is no good to anybody.' So who has the upper hand? Right now, it's still up for grabs. But if Trump sticks to his economic guns, and if Putin starts to feel the heat on the home front, the balance might just tip. Will Trump be able to make a deal? That's the trillion-dollar question. Trump insists he's serious. He's been increasingly frustrated with Putin, telling reporters: "Can't answer the question yet. I'll tell you in a matter of weeks, maybe less. But we made a lot of progress." Zelensky says the pressure is working. "It seems that Russia is now more inclined to a ceasefire," he said, but warned, "The main thing is that they do not deceive us in the details – neither us nor the US." Putin, for his part, has not ruled out a meeting with Zelensky – a U-turn after rejecting talks for nearly five years. But the Kremlin remains cagey. Aides say they're open to a summit "after preparatory work is done at the expert level." Still, Russia continues to play the long game. Putin's demands for peace remain unchanged, and behind the scenes, Moscow is preparing for no limits on nuclear deployments – a chilling echo of Cold War escalation. If talks fail, Trump's next move could ignite a global trade war. A 100 per cent tariff on all Russian goods and those of its allies is on the table. His message to Moscow? Deal or suffer. 8 An explosion of a drone lights up the sky over the city during a Russian drone strike Credit: Reuters 8 Ukrainian soldiers of 43rd artillery brigade fire self-propelled howitzer towards Russian positions Credit: AP What is the situation on the frontline? While diplomats talk, Putin bombs. Russia has escalated its attacks in Ukraine in recent days - in what some see as a final show of force ahead of the talks. Kyiv, Kherson, Nikopol, Dnipropetrovsk - all hit. One missile slammed into a residential tower, killing 31 people, including five children. In Nikopol, a 23-year-old first responder was among the dead. Putin's war machine has launched hundreds of drones and missiles overnight in a relentless blitz. Even as Moscow talks ceasefire, its rockets keep flying. Ukrainian forces, meanwhile, have not backed down - striking deep into Russian territory with precision attacks on refineries, rail hubs, air defences and even military units inside Russia. The Afipsky Refinery in southern Russia went up in flames after a massive Ukrainian strike – a clear message that Kyiv can hit back hard. Just days ago, Russia declared there are now no limits on its deployment of nuclear missiles in a chilling warning to the West. Throwing off its gloves and restraints, Moscow vowed to match US and Nato moves with force, reigniting fears of a Cold War-style arms race. The Russian Foreign Ministry accused America and its allies of creating a "direct threat to the security of our country" by preparing to deploy intermediate-range weapons in Europe. Saying Moscow now has a free hand to respond, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters: "Russia no longer considers itself to be constrained by anything. "Therefore Russia believes it has the right to take respective steps if necessary." The trigger, according to Russia, is the planned US deployment of Typhoon and Dark Eagle missiles in Germany starting next year. The Kremlin said the move shattered what remained of strategic stability, accusing Donald Trump's USA of risking "a dangerous escalation of tensions between nuclear powers." It was the clearest warning yet that Vladimir Putin is prepared to redraw the red lines of nuclear deterrence — and challenge the West head-on.
Daily Mirror
an hour ago
- Daily Mirror
Apple CEO Tim Cook gives Donald Trump enormous block of gold in weird Oval Office love-in
Tim Cook, whom Donald Trump once referred to as "Tim Apple", handed the US President a large glass desk ornament with a 24 karat gold base as he bid to avoid his wrath with manufacturing investment Apple CEO Tim Cook gave Donald Trump a large block of gold last night in a bizarre Oval Office love-in. The iPhone boss is the latest in a string of tech CEOs to lay it on thick for the "transactional" President, hoping to keep him sweet and avoid his wrath. The tech boss stood alongside Trump in the Oval and announced Apple would increase investment in US manufacturing by $100m over the next four years. It comes after Donald Trump made an unfortunate arm gesture during a tour of the White House roof. READ MORE: What Ghislaine Maxwell said about Donald Trump in 9-hour prison interview READ MORE: MIKEY SMITH: 10 unhinged Donald Trump moments as White House prepares for mystery 'announcement' After they spoke, Cook - whom Trump once referred to as "Tim Apple" - gave the President a desk ornament made from glass manufactured in a Kentucky factory they plan to use for iPhone parts - with a huge base made of 24 carat gold. Although Trump appeared much more enthusiastic about a plastic miniature model of a new kind of stealth bomber he'd been given earlier in the day. It came after Trump criticised Apple and Cook for efforts to shift iPhone production to India to avoid the tariffs his Republican administration had planned for China. While in Qatar earlier this year, Trump said there was 'a little problem' with the Cupertino, California, company and recalled a conversation with Cook in which he said he told the CEO, 'I don't want you building in India.' India has incurred Trump's wrath, as the president signed an order Wednesday to put an additional 25% tariff on the world 's most populous country for its use of Russian oil. The new import taxes to be imposed in 21 days could put the combined tariffs on Indian goods at 50%. "This is a significant step toward the ultimate goal of ensuring that iPhones sold in the United States of America also are made in America," Trump said at the press conference. 'Today's announcement is one of the largest commitments in what has become among the greatest investment booms in our nation's history." As part of the Apple announcement, the investments will be about bringing more of its supply chain and advanced manufacturing to the United States as part of an initiative called the American Manufacturing Program, but it is not a full commitment to build its popular iPhone device domestically. 'This includes new and expanded work with 10 companies across America. They produce components — semiconductor chips included — that are used in Apple products sold all over the world, and we're grateful to the President for his support,' Cook said in a statement announcing the investment. The new manufacturing partners include Corning, Coherent, Applied Materials, Texas Instruments and Broadcom among others. Apple had previously said it intended to invest $500 billion domestically, a figure it will now increase to $600 billion. Trump in recent months has criticized the tech company and Cook for efforts to shift iPhone production to India to avoid the tariffs his Republican administration had planned for China. Apple's new pledge comes just a few weeks after it forged a $500 million deal with MP Materials, which runs the only rare earths producer in the country. That agreement will enable MP Materials to expand a factory in Texas to use recycled materials to produce magnets that make iPhones vibrate. Speaking on a recent investors call, Cook emphasized that 'there's a load of different things done in the United States.' As examples, he cited some of the iPhone components made in the U.S. such as the device's glass display and module for identifying people's faces and then indicated the company was gearing to expand its productions of other components in its home country. 'We're doing more in this country, and that's on top of having roughly 19 billion chips coming out of the US now, and we will do more,' Cook told analysts last week, without elaborating. Get Donald Trump updates straight to your WhatsApp! As the world attempts to keep up with Trump's antics, the Mirror has launched its very own US Politics WhatsApp community where you'll get all the latest news from across the pond. We'll send you the latest breaking updates and exclusives all directly to your phone. Users must download or already have WhatsApp on their phones to join in. All you have to do to join is click on this link, select 'Join Chat' and you're in! We may also send you stories from other titles across the Reach group. We will also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose Exit group. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. News of Apple's latest investment in the U.S. caused the company's stock price to surge by 5% in Wednesday's midday trading. That gain reflects investors' relief that Cook 'is extending an olive branch' to the Trump administration, said Nancy Tengler, CEO of money manager Laffer Tengler Investments, which owns Apple stock. Despite Wednesday's upturn, Apple's shares are still down by 15% this year, a reversal of fortune that has also been driven by the company's botched start in the pivotal field of artificial intelligence.
Daily Mirror
2 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Vladimir Putin 'plans nuclear missile tests' for weapon with 'unlimited range'
Russia President Vladimir Putin unveiled the Burevestnik nuclear missile in 2018 and increased activity at the Pankovo test site has fuelled suspicions of an imminent test Vladimir Putin is feared to have green lighted new tests for his 'Flying Chernobyl ' nuclear missile, which is supposedly capable of flying for days or even weeks on end as it probes weaknesses in Western defences. The 'miracle' Burevestnik was originally announced by Putin in 2018 but more than a dozen tests so far have been deemed failures. The super weapon has previously been described as 'a radically new type of weaponry' with 'unlimited range and unlimited ability to manoeuvre'. Increased activity at the Pankovo test site on the Novaya Zemlya archipelago in the Arctic has fuelled suspicions of an imminent test, according to Decker Evelet, a nuclear weapons expert at the CNA analytical company. It comes after Putin warns of nuclear war after unleashing another night of hell on Ukraine. The US also recently sent a WC-135R radiation reconnaissance aircraft of the Air Force to Novaya Zemlya, which suggests a possible test could be imminent, according to the independent Moscow Times. The aircraft - which is equipped with sensors to track nuclear tests - flew from RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk for about 14 hours over the Barents Sea, and close to the coast of Russia 's Murmansk region, west of Novaya Zemlya. Russia has made multiple attempts to test the unlimited range Burevestnik - also known as Skyfall - none of which have been successful. The Burevestnik's longest flight was only around 22 miles, lasting two minutes. In 2019, the Burevestnik notoriously crashed into the Barents Sea, and a retrieval operation led to an explosion that killed seven scientists from the closed nuclear city Sarov, triggering radiation in Scandinavia. Putin dubbed them 'national heroes' without explaining details of their deaths. Last year traces of radioactive Cesium-137 were measured along Norway's border with Russia, leading to unconfirmed concerns over activity at the Pankovo test site for the Burevestnik. The readings were from analysis of filters from Viksjøfjell and Svanhovd in Norway. The Burevestnik is viewed by the Russian dictator as a game-changing 'doomsday' weapon with an unlimited range. It is seen by the Kremlin as a low-flying 'stealth' cruise missile incapable of interception by existing Western air defences and delivering nuclear warheads anywhere around the globe. A report by the Nuclear Threat Initiative - a non-profit arms control group - said Russia had conducted 13 known tests between 2017 and 2019, all of which were unsuccessful. It is called the 'Flying Chernobyl' because it emits radioactive exhaust due to its unshielded or partially shielded reactor, raising ecological and safety concerns. The nickname relates to the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant explosion in 1986. The Burevestnik is believed to be launched by a solid-fuel rocket motor. Then a small nuclear reactor activates in flight, which potentially allows it to stay aloft threatening Western countries almost indefinitely. The nuclear weapon was among a group of 'doomsday' weapons unveiled by Putin in March 2018, alongside the Poseidon nuclear torpedo, Kinzhal hypersonic missile, Avangard glide vehicle, and the Sarmat - or Satan-2 - giant nuclear rocket.
