Russia says it will help China overtake the United States on nuclear power
Russia has pledged to support China in its push to surpass the United States as the world’s largest producer of nuclear power, Rosatom chief Alexei Likhachev said on state television after talks in Beijing, according to Reuters.
US currently leads with nearly 97 gigawatts (GW) of nuclear capacity, while China operates about 53.2 GW but is rapidly expanding its reactor network. Likhachev said Beijing aims to exceed 100 GW to overtake Washington, and Moscow is already contributing to that goal.
Russia has helped construct four nuclear reactors in China and is building four more. Likhachev noted China’s growing demand for uranium and nuclear fuel, adding it will likely rely on Russian technology to develop advanced closed fuel cycle reactors, Reuters reported.
Floods kill 30 and submerge 1,400 villages in Indian state
At least 30 people have died and more than 354,000 have been affected by floods in Punjab, India, after days of heavy rain. All 23 districts have been declared flood-hit as rivers and reservoirs approach dangerous levels, according to BBC.
About 20,000 people have been evacuated, with relief camps providing shelter and aid. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann called it the state’s worst flooding since 1988 and appealed for national support.
The disaster has submerged over 148,000 hectares of farmland, threatening the livelihoods of millions in Punjab, India’s “food basket.” Rescue efforts are underway with the help of disaster teams, the army, navy and air force.
Heavy monsoon rains, intensified by westerly disturbances, are driving the floods, which have also hit parts of northern India and Pakistan’s Punjab province, where nearly two million people are affected, BBC reported.
North Korea's Kim and South Korean parliament speaker shake hands, speaker's office says
South Korea’s National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik briefly shook hands with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Wednesday during a military parade in Beijing marking Japan’s World War Two surrender, Reuters reported.
Woo, representing Seoul at the event, has joined President Lee Jae Myung in urging renewed dialogue between the two Koreas, though Pyongyang has rejected recent overtures.
During his trip, Woo also met Russian President Vladimir Putin, who asked if he should convey a message to Kim. Woo replied that fostering peace on the Korean Peninsula remained vital despite strained relations. According to Reuters, several South Korean lawmakers accompanied him on the visit.
Australia moves to speed up third country deportation of non-citizens
Australia is set to pass a law making it easier to deport non-citizens to third countries, drawing sharp criticism from rights groups who liken it to US policies under President Trump, Reuters reported.
The legislation removes procedural fairness in deportations, limiting court appeals. It follows a new resettlement deal with Nauru, where hundreds of people denied refugee visas over criminal records will be sent. Australia has pledged A$400m in an endowment fund and A$70m annually to support the scheme.
Critics warn the law could endanger refugees by denying healthcare and oversight, and potentially affect far more than the 350 non-citizens released after a 2023 High Court ruling. Independent lawmakers condemned the move as using Nauru, a tiny island nation reliant on foreign aid, as a “dumping ground”, according to Reuters.
