Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has entered a plea of not guilty to newly added torture-related charges in a United States court. The indictment, filed in New York, expands upon previous allegations of narcoterorrism, money laundering, and corruption.
John Swinney, the presumptive First Minister of Scotland, has rejected claims that his proposal to cap supermarket food prices is designed to provoke confrontation with the UK government. He maintains the policy is a necessary response to the cost of living crisis, aiming to ensure access to affordable, nutritious food for struggling households.
Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin continue to present a united front, despite an increasingly imbalanced relationship driven by Western sanctions and Russia's reliance on Beijing. Putin's impending visit to China follows a low-key gathering, underscoring China's leverage in a partnership often portrayed as an "axis of authoritarianism" or a "brittle brotherhood" by Western observers.
