Russian parliament speaker to visit China, Vedomosti says
Volodin will visit Beijing and Changchun, the newspaper said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin is due to visit China at the end of August and early September for celebrations marking the end of World War Two in China.
Nazi Germany's unconditional surrender came into force in Europe on May 8, 1945 but in Moscow it was already May 9, which became the Soviet Union's "Victory Day" in what Russians call the Great Patriotic War of 1941-45. The Soviet Union lost 27 million people in World War Two.
In Asia, World War Two ended on Sept. 2 with the surrender of Japan after the United States dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945.
Chinese Communist Party historians say China's casualties in the 1937-1945 Second Sino-Japanese War were 35 million.
The Japanese occupation caused the displacement of as many as 100 million Chinese people and significant economic hardship, as well as the 1937 Nanjing Massacre, during which an estimated 100,000 to 300,000 victims were killed.
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Reuters
30 minutes ago
- Reuters
Exclusive: Trump weighs using $2 billion in CHIPS Act funding for critical minerals, sources say
Aug 21 (Reuters) - The Trump administration is considering a plan to reallocate at least $2 billion from the CHIPS Act to fund critical minerals projects and boost Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick's influence over the strategic sector, two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters. The proposed move would take from funds already allocated by Congress for semiconductor research and chip factory construction, avoiding a fresh spending request as it seeks to reduce U.S. dependence on China for critical minerals used widely in the electronics and defense industries. Boosting Lutnick's role over critical minerals financing would also help centralize the administration's approach to the sector, a push sought by White House officials after the rollout of the Pentagon investment in rare earths company MP Materials (MP.N), opens new tab last month sparked questions about the U.S. government's minerals strategy, one source said. The White House did not respond to requests for comment. Pentagon officials were not immediately available to comment. MP Materials declined to comment. The Commerce Department oversees the $52.7 billion CHIPS Act, formally known as the CHIPS and Science Act. The act, signed into law by then-President Joe Biden in 2022, has provided funding so far for research while also seeking to lure chip production away from Asia and boost American domestic semiconductor production. But since taking office in January, Trump has moved to change the CHIPS Act - legislation he has called "a horrible, horrible thing" that amounts to a giveaway to companies - largely by renegotiating grants to chipmakers. Repurposing some funds for mining-related projects would align in part with the spirit of the CHIPS Act as the semiconductor industry requires abundant supplies of germanium, gallium and other critical minerals over which China has tightened its market control, said the sources, who are not permitted to speak publicly about the deliberations. "The administration is creatively trying to find ways to fund the critical minerals sector," said the first source. The plans are under discussion and could change, the sources added. Mining companies themselves could benefit, but also processing and recycling firms. Most of the minerals considered critical by the U.S. government are not processed inside the country. Kent Masters, CEO of North Carolina-based Albemarle (ALB.N), opens new tab, the world's largest producer of lithium for rechargeable batteries, told Reuters last month that the company's stalled plans to build a U.S. lithium refinery are "difficult now without some type of government support or partnership." It was not immediately clear if the Trump administration aimed to use the funds for grants or equity stakes in mining companies, but Lutnick aims to "get the $2 billion out the door" as soon as possible, the first source said, adding that the administration aims to find other funds to reallocate in the near future. A former U.S. official said the Biden administration considered using CHIPS Act grants for rare earths but decided it was uneconomical, required many environmental exemptions and was best left for the Department of Energy to handle. The administration is also looking to use CHIPS Act-related funding to take equity stakes in Intel INTC.O and other chip makers in exchange for cash grants, Reuters reported on Tuesday. Trump moved quickly to expand U.S. critical minerals production since taking office in January by signing executive orders to boost deep-sea mining and domestic projects. On Tuesday he met with the CEOs of Rio Tinto RIO.L and BHP at the White House despite the ongoing negotiations with European leaders over Russia's invasion of Ukraine, a move aimed at underscoring his support for U.S. mining. The CHIPS Act deliberations come after the Energy Department last week proposed $1 billion in spending for some critical minerals projects, with funds tied to the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The White House aims to give Lutnick a greater role over funding decisions for critical minerals by giving him oversight of the decision making process within the administration, the sources said. The Pentagon's multibillion-dollar investment in MP Materials and its move to extend a price support mechanism - a deal negotiated by Deputy Defense Secretary Steve Feinberg - was seen by White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles as uncoordinated as it sparked confusion over whether Washington would guarantee a price floor for all miners and forced the administration to clarify that it does not intend for MP to have a rare earths monopoly, the two sources said. Much of the funding for MP's deal - including Washington's equity stake, loans and purchase agreements - still needs to be allocated by Congress. Two weeks after the Pentagon announced its MP investment, administration officials rushed to meet at the White House with rare earths firms and their customers to underscore broad support for the entire sector, Reuters reported. Lutnick will now help coordinate the administration's funding decisions, taking the lead from the Pentagon and other agencies, the sources said. Lutnick ran brokerage firm Cantor Fitzgerald ( before he joined Trump's cabinet. Cantor is a large shareholder in Critical Metals Corp (CRML.O), opens new tab, which Reuters reported in June is under consideration for a loan from the U.S. Export-Import Bank.
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Trump suggests it would be 'impossible' for Ukraine to win the war without attacking Russia and blames Biden for failing to let Kyiv 'fight back'
Donald Trump has suggested it would be 'very hard, if not impossible' for Ukraine to prevail without attacking Russia. The US President posted his thoughts on the continuing conflict on his Truth Social account on Thursday, adding he did not agree with his predecessor, Joe Biden, to refuse Kyiv the right to 'fight back' against Putin 's forces. Using a sports analogy, the forthright leader posted: 'It is very hard, if not impossible, to win a war without attacking an invaders country. 'It's like a great team in sports that has a fantastic defense, but is not allowed to play offense. There is no chance of winning! 'It is like that with Ukraine and Russia. 'Crooked and grossly incompetent Joe Biden would not let Ukraine FIGHT BACK, only DEFEND. How did that work out?' He proceeded to share a picture of himself poking Vladimir Putin in the chest, in a playful echo of former president Richard Nixon doing the same to Nikita Khrushchev, former prime minister of the Soviet Union, during a tense debate in 1959. Trump shared his thoughts on the conflict as Ukraine launched drone attacks on oil refineries in Russia, including its latest assault in Rostov Oblast overnight. Ukraine has previously succeeded in entering Russian territory, including an incursion into the Kursk region in 2024. More recently, President Volodymyr Zelensky's forces launched Operation Spiderweb in June. The audacious assault saw more than 100 first-person view (FPV) kamikaze drones smuggled into Russia in wooden containers disguised as modular homes. They were loaded onto civilian trucks and driven behind enemy lines by Russian lorry drivers seemingly unaware of what they were carrying. The vehicles were parked within range of five airfields stretching from northern Russia down to Siberia, at which point the hidden roofs of the wooden cabins were opened remotely and the FPV drones took to the skies. Over the next few minutes, 41 nuclear bombers were systematically targeted and decimated in a crushing military blow to Russian President Vladimir Putin. However despite these military successes, Trump has questioned whether Ukraine has the ability to strike deeper into Russia. He reportedly asked Zelensky whether his forces could strike Moscow during a candid telephone call with the Ukrainian leader in July, according to The Telegraph. Trump's comments on the continuing conflict came as Russia staged its biggest hypersonic missile barrage on Ukraine since Putin met Trump last Friday Trump's comments on the continuing conflict came as Russia staged its biggest hypersonic missile barrage on Ukraine since Putin met Trump last Friday. Poland was forced to scramble warplanes today to protect its airspace as the heavy assault began. The Operational Command of the Polish Armed Forces said on X: 'In connection with the activity of long-range aviation of the Russian Federation, conducting strikes on Ukrainian territory... aircraft of the Polish Air Force and allied aviation are operating in Polish airspace.' Russian attacks on western Ukraine killed one person and wounded multiple others, officials in the country reported as diplomatic efforts to end the three-year war grind on. Moscow and Kyiv have kept up their aerial attacks on each other as world leaders including US President Donald Trump continue to push for a ceasefire.
The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
Zelensky condemns ‘indecent' Russian attack as American-owned Ukraine factory is hit
Ukraine said a Russian drone and missile attack on its western territory, hitting targets including an American-owned electronics plant, showed Vladimir Putin is trying to avoid peace talks. The aerial assault was one of Russia's biggest this year and came amid Moscow's objections to key aspects of proposals that could end the war it started in February 2022. Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the attack, saying it was carried out 'as if nothing were changing at all.' 'The signals from Russia are simply, to be honest, indecent,' he told Ukrainians in his nightly presidential address. A US electronics plant near the Hungarian border was struck, according to Andy Hunder, president of the American Chamber of Commerce in Ukraine. The Flex factory is one of the biggest American investments in Ukraine. At the moment of impact, 600 night shift workers were on the premises, and six were injured, Mr Hunder added. Russian attacks on Ukraine since it launched its invasion have damaged property belonging to more than half of the chamber's roughly 600 members, he said. 'The message is clear: Russia is not looking for peace. Russia is attacking American business in Ukraine, humiliating American business,' Mr Hunder said. Russia's defence ministry said the strikes targeted 'enterprises of the Ukrainian military-industrial complex'. It claimed the attack hit drone factories, storage depots and missile launch sites, as well as areas where Ukrainian troops were gathered. Russia has repeatedly denied targeting civilian areas of Ukraine. In Lviv, one person was killed and three were injured as the attack damaged 26 residential buildings, a nursery school and administrative buildings, regional head Maksym Kozytskyi wrote on Telegram. The regional prosecutor's office said three Russian cruise missiles with cluster munitions struck the city. Moscow has shown no signs of pursuing meaningful negotiations to end the war, Mr Zelensky said. He urged the international community to respond with stronger pressure on Moscow, including tougher sanctions and tariffs. Plans for security guarantees will become clearer by the end of next week, Mr Zelensky said, by which time he expects to be ready to hold direct talks with Mr Putin for the first time since Russia's full-scale invasion. Donald Trump discussed the war with Putin in Alaska last week before hosting Mr Zelensky and European leaders at the White House on Monday. Mr Trump questioned Mr Putin's commitment to ending the war, saying the Russian leader 'talks nice and then he bombs everybody'. Russia has fired nearly 1,000 long-range drones and missiles at Ukraine since Monday's White House talks, according to Ukrainian tallies. European countries are discussing how they can deploy military assets to deter any post-war Russian assault on Ukraine, but the Kremlin will not accept the deployment of any troops from Nato countries, and foreign minister Sergey Lavrov said on Wednesday that making security arrangements for Ukraine without Moscow's involvement was pointless. Mr Putin is ready to meet with Mr Zelensky to discuss peace terms, Mr Lavrov said on Thursday, but only after key issues have been worked out by senior officials in what could be a protracted negotiating process because the two sides remain far apart. US secretary of state Marco Rubio plans to host a conference call on Thursday with the national security advisers of European countries expected to play a role in future security guarantees for Ukraine, a senior US official said. Military leaders from Ukraine, the US, the UK, Finland, France, Germany and Italy met on Tuesday and Wednesday in Washington to work out military options, said Joseph Holstead, a spokesman for the US Joint Chiefs of Staff.
