UN Human Rights Office: Venezuela's future must be determined by its people

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Source: United Nations – United Nations –

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January 6, 2026 Human rights

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk is deeply concerned about the situation in Venezuela following the US military operation carried out last weekend.

"It is clear that this operation has undermined a fundamental principle of international law – the principle of the inadmissibility of the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any State," High Commissioner's spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani said at a briefing in Geneva.

She also noted that the US justifies its intervention by citing human rights violations by the Venezuelan government, but that "accountability for human rights violations cannot be achieved through unilateral military intervention." Shamdasani emphasized the need for a fair and victim-centered process.

The UN Human Rights Office, headed by Türk, regularly publishes reports on the situation in Venezuela. According to the agency, the situation in the country has been deteriorating for ten years.

"We fear that the current instability and further militarization in the country as a result of US intervention will only worsen the situation," Shamdasani said.

"The state of emergency declared by Venezuelan authorities on Saturday is concerning because it allows, among other things, restrictions on the free movement of people, the seizure of property necessary for national defense, and the suspension of the right to assembly and protest," she added.

The High Commissioner calls on the United States and Venezuela, as well as the international community, to ensure full compliance with international law.

"The future of Venezuela must be determined exclusively by the Venezuelan people," Shamdasani concluded.

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China's nationwide trade-in program for consumer goods has spurred sales worth 3.92 trillion yuan.

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Source: People's Republic of China in Russian – People's Republic of China in Russian –

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Source: People's Republic of China – State Council News

BEIJING, January 6 (Xinhua) — China's government-subsidized nationwide trade-in program for consumer goods in 2024 and 2025 generated sales of 3.92 trillion yuan (approximately $558.62 billion), with consumers using the program 494 million times, according to data from the Ministry of Commerce presented at a press conference on Tuesday.

This initiative also contributed to industrial modernization and the green transition. During the reporting period, approximately 18.3 million vehicles were purchased through the trade-in program, with nearly 60 percent of these being vehicles powered by new energy sources.

Under the program, Chinese consumers have purchased 192 million appliances over the past two years, over 90 percent of which were high-end energy-efficient models.

From 2024 to 2025, more than 17.67 million decommissioned vehicles were scrapped across the country, with an average annual increase of 45.8%.

Additionally, nearly 39.69 million used car transactions were registered during the reporting period. Approximately 53 million used household appliances and mobile phones underwent standardized dismantling and recycling procedures, with an average annual increase of approximately 12%.

Late last month, Chinese authorities announced the extension of the trade-in consumer goods subsidy program to 2026 as part of a broader effort to stimulate domestic consumption. To support the program, 62.5 billion yuan in the form of ultra-long special treasury bonds was allocated ahead of schedule this year.

At the Central Economic Work Conference held at the end of 2025, expanding domestic demand was identified as one of China's top economic priorities for the current year. Participants outlined a plan of measures to stimulate consumption, as well as measures to increase incomes for both urban and rural residents.

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Belarus's gold and foreign exchange reserves increased by $5.5 billion in 2025, according to the Central Bank.

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Source: People's Republic of China in Russian – People's Republic of China in Russian –

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Source: People's Republic of China – State Council News

Minsk, January 6 (Xinhua) — Belarus's gold and foreign exchange reserves increased by $5.5 billion in 2025 and, according to preliminary data, exceeded the equivalent of $14.4 billion as of January 1, 2026. The press service of the National Bank (Central Bank) of Belarus published the corresponding information on Tuesday.

In December 2025, the country's gold and foreign exchange reserves increased by USD 526.2 million (3.8 percent).

Foreign currency assets and monetary gold account for the largest share of Belarus's international reserve assets. According to the Central Bank, the volume of foreign currency in reserves as of January 1 amounted to over $5.54 billion, an increase of $296.9 million over December. Meanwhile, the volume of monetary gold exceeded $7.47 billion, an increase of $214.1 million.

According to the targets of Belarus's monetary policy, the country's international reserve assets should amount to at least $9.2 billion by the end of 2026. –0–

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Kazakhstan entered the top 50 largest economies in the world

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Source: People's Republic of China in Russian – People's Republic of China in Russian –

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Source: People's Republic of China – State Council News

Almaty, January 6 (Xinhua) – Kazakhstan has become the only Central Asian country to enter the world's top 50 largest economies, the Kazinform news agency reported on Tuesday.

As the agency reported, this fact is evidenced by data from the International Monetary Fund on the GDP indicators of the 50 largest economies in the world and on the average annual growth of real GDP for the period from 2000 to 2025, published on the Visual Capitalist website.

Moreover, according to these data, Kazakhstan entered the top five countries in terms of average annual growth rate of real GDP, which amounted to 5.6 percent.

Earlier, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev announced that the country's economy had grown by more than 6 percent, and GDP had surpassed $300 billion. Per capita GDP exceeded $15,000.

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By supplying weapons to Taiwan, the US will only harm itself, says Chinese Ambassador to Russia Zhang Hanhui.

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Source: People's Republic of China in Russian – People's Republic of China in Russian –

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Source: People's Republic of China – State Council News

Moscow, January 6 (Xinhua) — The standoff between China and the United States over the Taiwan issue does not serve the interests of the United States itself. By supplying arms to Taiwan, the Americans would only harm themselves. This was stated by Chinese Ambassador to Russia Zhang Hanhui in an article titled "Any attempts to obstruct the great cause of China's reunification that run counter to the historical process are inevitably doomed to failure," published Monday in the Russian newspaper Argumenty i Fakty.

As the ambassador noted, the United States recently publicly announced a large-scale arms sale to the Chinese region of Taiwan totaling $11.1 billion, which is “unprecedented in the more than 40 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the United States.”

"These US actions grossly violate the one-China principle and the provisions of the three China-US joint communiqués, seriously damage China's sovereignty, security and territorial integrity, undermine peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, and send a deeply wrong signal to separatist forces seeking 'Taiwan independence,'" Zhang Hanhui wrote.

According to him, China's position on the Taiwan issue is consistent and unchangeable: the Taiwan issue is an exclusively internal matter for China, it is the core of China's fundamental interests and the first red line in Sino-American relations that cannot be crossed.

Zhang Hanhui stated that the United States cannot resolve numerous domestic problems and international and regional hotspots without cooperation with China. However, such cooperation requires the United States to respect China's core interests. "Trying to seek cooperation with China while continually harming its core interests is a naive illusion," the diplomat emphasized.

He also pointed out that the Taiwanese Democratic Progressive Party administration, while openly impatience, is seeking to expedite American arms deliveries to the island. The main goal is to draw the US into the conflict. Meanwhile, more and more Taiwanese are recognizing the grave dangers of "relying on external powers for independence."

"'Taiwan independence' has never been a historical reality, nor a present fact, and certainly cannot have a future," Zhang Hanhui emphasized. "This 'major arms deal' will also not be a lifeline for supporters of 'Taiwan independence,' but will only accelerate the situation in the Taiwan Strait toward the dangerous brink of military conflict."

In his article, the ambassador also noted that the Chinese side expresses gratitude to Russia and highly appreciates Russia's consistent and firm position and actions in supporting China on the Taiwan issue. He noted that, as members of a comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination in the new era, China and Russia consistently provide firm support to each other on issues affecting their core interests and key concerns.

“We are ready to work with the Russian side to implement the important agreements reached by the heads of state, continue to deepen strategic cooperation, promote a correct understanding of the history of World War II, unwaveringly defend its results, and uphold the post-war international order and international justice,” Zhang Hanhui added. –0–

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The Premier of the State Council of the People's Republic of China held talks with the Prime Minister of Ireland.

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Source: People's Republic of China in Russian – People's Republic of China in Russian –

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Source: People's Republic of China – State Council News

BEIJING, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) — Chinese Premier Li Qiang held talks with Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin in Beijing on Tuesday, saying China is willing to work with Ireland to advance bilateral relations to a new level and achieve mutual benefit and win-win results at a higher level.

Noting the high degree of economic complementarity between China and Ireland, Li Qiang called on the two sides to strengthen the alignment of their development strategies and unlock the potential for cooperation in various fields.

China stands ready to work with Ireland to expand the scale and improve the quality of bilateral trade, the Premier said, adding that China invites Irish enterprises to effectively use platforms such as the China International Import Expo and the China International Fair for Trade in Services to promote their products.

Li Qiang called on the two sides to seize future development opportunities and deepen cooperation in areas such as green energy, digital economy, artificial intelligence, information technology and life sciences, while further facilitating people-to-people exchanges.

The Chinese Prime Minister stressed that China is willing to strengthen communication and cooperation with Ireland in multilateral mechanisms such as the UN to jointly safeguard multilateralism and free trade.

Ireland will hold the rotating presidency of the European Union in the second half of this year, and China hopes it will play a positive role in promoting Sino-European cooperation, Li Qiang added.

As M. Martin, who is currently on an official visit to China, pointed out, Ireland is firmly committed to further deepening the mutually beneficial strategic partnership between the two countries and is ready to strengthen exchanges with China at all levels.

The Prime Minister expressed Ireland's readiness to develop cooperation with China in areas such as trade, investment, science and technology, healthcare, agriculture, the green economy and artificial intelligence, as well as to strengthen cultural and humanitarian exchanges, including in the educational sphere and at the regional level.

The Irish side invites more Chinese companies to invest in Ireland, M. Martin added.

According to him, Ireland values China's important role in international affairs and is willing to strengthen multilateral coordination with China to oppose unilateralism and protectionism and jointly safeguard world peace, stability, development and prosperity.

The Irish side is also ready to play a constructive role in facilitating dialogue and cooperation between the EU and China, the Prime Minister indicated.

Before the talks began, Li Qiang held a welcoming ceremony for M. Martin at the Great Hall of the People. –0–

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Exclusive: Chinese wisdom and Chinese solutions are needed for the constructive development of the modern world – a political scientist from Kyrgyzstan

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Source: People's Republic of China in Russian – People's Republic of China in Russian –

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Source: People's Republic of China – State Council News

Bishkek, January 6 (Xinhua) — China, as a responsible country, contributes to global peace and development in various fields. Constructive development in the modern world requires Chinese wisdom and Chinese solutions based on building a community with a shared future for humanity, Kyrgyz political scientist Igor Shestakov said in an interview with Xinhua.

The year 2025 was an extraordinary one for China. The country successfully hosted such important events as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Tianjin and the Global Women's Summit in Beijing. In December, independent customs operations were launched throughout the Hainan Free Trade Port (HFTP). That same year, China announced a new Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) to address climate change.

Commenting on these events, I. Shestakov noted that during the Beijing Global Women's Summit, much attention was paid to the fact that women make a vital contribution to global stabilization, yet they are currently in need of protection and gender equality. This was the main significance of the event.

According to the expert, the SCO summit in Tianjin demonstrated that a unipolar world cannot exist. "There should be no geopolitical dictate by one state. The world is multipolar and consists of equal states. This was the main outcome of this summit," he emphasized.

According to I. Shestakov, the launch of independent customs operations throughout the Hainan Free Trade Zone will undoubtedly provide even greater opportunities for the entire world, including Central Asian countries, to expand trade and economic ties with China. "This will be a strategic step for China's openness to economic cooperation," the political scientist stated, adding that China's systematic work and adoption of new measures to respond to climate change represent a significant contribution to maintaining environmental balance at both the regional and global levels.

At the SCO summit in Tianjin, China put forward the Global Governance Initiative, which became another important global public good provided by China, following the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, and the Global Civilization Initiative.

"The new Chinese initiative is of strategic importance not only for the organization's member countries, but also for the overall construction of a new world order," stated I. Shestakov, emphasizing that this initiative, with its five principles—including ensuring sovereign equality, respect for international law, implementing multilateralism, embracing a human-centered approach, and focusing on practical action—will serve as the foundation for the SCO's further development, particularly as the organization continues to expand.

"Today, the world desperately needs Chinese wisdom and solutions based on building a community with a shared future for humanity for constructive development," the political scientist concluded.

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European leaders reaffirm Greenland's sovereignty

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Source: People's Republic of China in Russian – People's Republic of China in Russian –

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Source: People's Republic of China – State Council News

OSLO, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) — Leaders of seven European countries reaffirmed in a joint statement on Tuesday that Greenland "belongs to its people," stressing that issues concerning Denmark and Greenland should be decided solely by Denmark and Greenland.

The statement, published by the Danish Prime Minister's Office, was signed by Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Italian Prime Minister Giorgio Meloni, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

"Greenland belongs to its people. Denmark and Greenland, and they alone, must decide matters concerning Denmark and Greenland," the statement reads.

On January 4, US President Donald Trump stated in a phone interview with The Atlantic that the United States "absolutely" needs Greenland. He also commented on the US intervention in Venezuela.

Last month, Trump announced the appointment of Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry as the US special envoy for Greenland, which again escalated diplomatic tensions between the US and the Kingdom of Denmark.

Since taking office in January 2025, Trump has repeatedly expressed interest in gaining control of Greenland, saying he would not rule out using "military or economic coercion" to achieve this goal. –0–

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Ukraine's Agriculture: A New Plan for Emergency Relief and Sustainable Recovery

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Source: United Nations – United Nations –

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January 6, 2026 Humanitarian aid

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) presented the Emergency Response and Rapid Recovery Plan for Agriculture in Ukraine for 2026–2028. The document outlines priority measures to ensure rural livelihoods, restore production capacity, and support the country's agrifood sector amid the ongoing war.

The impact of the crisis is being felt particularly acutely in Ukraine's frontline regions, where agricultural infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, access to land is restricted by explosive remnants of war, and producers are facing labor shortages and rising costs. Together, these factors have disrupted production cycles, limited access to markets, and weakened the potential of the agricultural sector.

An integrated approach

The FAO plan proposes a comprehensive, multi-year approach that combines emergency agricultural assistance with early recovery and resilience-building measures. Priority is given to supporting vulnerable rural families and smallholder farmers, restoring productive assets, rehabilitating agricultural land, and developing market-oriented and climate-resilient production.

"There must be no gap between the emergency response and recovery in rural communities in Ukraine," emphasized Shakhnoza Muminova, FAO Country Director. "This plan aims to fill this gap—to protect livelihoods now, restore secure access to land, and help farmers and rural families resume production."

Particular attention is being paid to residents of frontline areas, women and youth, internally displaced persons, and Ukrainians returning home. Demining agricultural land is crucial – it is a prerequisite for the resumption of production and safe economic activity.

FAO support

Since the conflict escalated in 2022, FAO has supported more than 300,000 rural families and nearly 17,000 small agrifood enterprises. This assistance included seed and feed supplies, grain storage equipment, generators, irrigation systems, cash assistance, and grants.

Furthermore, using satellite analysis, FAO identified over one million craters across 2.37 million hectares. Based on a multifactorial assessment, 32,000 hectares were identified as a priority for mine clearance. To date, farmers and rural families cultivating over 22,000 hectares of land have received targeted support to resume agricultural activities.

The organization notes the need for additional resources to scale up assistance and prevent further loss of productive capacity. The FAO emphasizes that the 2026–2028 plan provides a clear framework for scaling up efforts in the face of ongoing humanitarian and economic challenges.

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As part of the Ray of Light initiative, 15 support rooms for victims of violence have been created in Tajikistan.

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Source: United Nations – United Nations –

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January 5, 2026 Women

Fifteen support rooms for victims of violence have opened in healthcare facilities across Tajikistan, thanks to the efforts of the Spotlight Initiative, working in partnership with the country's Ministry of Health. This means victims now have access to the necessary medical and psychosocial support.

In addition, more than 300 healthcare workers and 90 teachers have been trained as part of the initiative. Tajik government officials conduct regular monitoring visits and organize professional development courses for specialists.

According to the initiative's latest report, the program it created, which operates in Central Asia, has helped strengthen cooperation among civil society organizations. The "Ray of Light" network, which unites activists, NGOs, and feminist groups, was also established in the region. It currently has approximately 600 members.

In 2017, the UN and the European Union launched the Spotlight Initiative, the largest global programme to end all forms of violence against women and girls and achieve gender equality.

With an investment of €500 million between 2017 and 2023, the initiative has achieved significant results in Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Pacific and the Caribbean.

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