Press TV News Headlines

Iran BRICS bid

Iran’s President says Tehran and Beijing have agreed to enhance their bilateral cooperation in various fields. Ebrahim Raeisi was speaking after concluding a three-day state visit to China. Raeisi underlined that the two countries discussed partnership in different regional and international bodies, including the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. He said that China has also supported Tehran’s bid to join BRICS, which is an acronym for an alliance of five leading emerging economies including Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. Iran’s president was received by his Chinese counterpart on Tuesday. It was the first such trip by an Iranian president to China in two decades. The two sides ended up signing 20 cooperation agreements. In a joint statement released earlier, it was revealed that Xi Jinping has accepted Raeisi’s invitation to visit Iran. The two presidents also called for the lifting of U-S sanctions on Iran and the implementation of the 20-15 deal.

Russia-Ukraine war

Russia has intensified its missile strikes on Ukraine as Kiev’s Western allies vow to increase their military aid, in defiance of Moscow’s warnings. According to Ukrainian officials, Russian missiles hit the country’s north and west as well as two central regions. They said that Ukrainian air defenses in the south could intercept only eight Kalibr missiles. Earlier, the NATO chief said the alliance’s members are ramping up production of artillery munitions to bolster Ukraine’s capabilities. That’s while Moscow has repeatedly warned against western arms supplies to Kiev, saying the move only prolongs the war. Russia launched a military campaign in Ukraine in February last year and blamed it on NATO's eastward expansion. Moscow views the alliance’s efforts to make Ukraine a member and deploy missiles close to its borders as a direct threat to Russian security.

Germany airport strikes

Air travel in Germany faces massive disruptions as workers at seven of the country’s major airports are planning to go on a 24-hour strike. Fraport, the company that operates Frankfurt airport, issued the warning, urging travelers to avoid the airport on Friday due to the planned walkout. According to the German trade union Verdi, the industrial action is expected to affect domestic travel, in particular. It is also expected to cast shadow over the 59th Munich Security Conference, in which, diplomats and politicians from across the world are due to take part. The strikers demand a pay rise to cope with rising inflation. Several European countries have been hit by protests and strikes in recent months amid a cost of living crisis fuelled by the war in Ukraine and western sanctions against Russia.

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