Locked in standoffs with the U.S., Russia and China show a united front as Putin meets Xi in Beijing
CBSN
Russian President Vladimir Putin was in Beijing on Friday to attend the Winter Olympics opening ceremony, but also to meet with China's leader, Xi Jinping. China and Russia have grown much closer in recent years as they've become more estranged from the West, and more at odds with the U.S.
The two leaders met just days after Putin dug his heels in more deeply in his high-stakes standoff with the U.S. and NATO over Moscow's buildup of troops and weapons along Ukraine's borders.
The U.S. accused Putin on Thursday of plotting a so-called "false-flag" operation in Ukraine, alleging that covert operatives were already in place and working to create a fake video depicting an attack that Russia could use as a pretext to invade its neighbor.
Noumea — France's president held a flurry of meetings with local representatives in the restive Pacific territory of New Caledonia on Thursday, urging calm after deadly rioting, and vowing thousands of military reinforcements will stay in place to quell what he called an "unprecedented insurrection."
Kathmandu — Nepali climber Phunjo Lama on Thursday reached Mount Everest's summit in 14 hours and 31 minutes, smashing the record for the world's fastest ascent of the mountain by a woman. Climbers usually take days to reach the top of the 29,032-foot mountain, spending nights on its different camps to rest and acclimatize.
New Delhi — Indian justice officials have changed course amid outrage over the bail terms set for a teenager accused of killing two people while driving a Porsche at high speed while drunk and without a license. The 17-year-old son of a wealthy businessman had been ordered to write a 300-word essay and work with the local traffic police for 15 days to be granted bail — a decision that was made within 15 hours of his arrest.
Zurich — A woman jogger was killed by a naked man who was screaming and attacking people in a lakeside park in Switzerland, police said Wednesday. The attack happened Tuesday evening in Mannedorf on Lake Zurich, around 12 miles southeast of Switzerland's biggest city, the Zurich cantonal police said.
Norway, Ireland and Spain said Wednesday they are recognizing a Palestinian state in a historic move that drew condemnation from Israel and jubilation from the Palestinians. Israel immediately ordered back its ambassadors from Norway and Ireland and appeared ready to do the same with its ambassador to Spain.