Chinese premier says SCO can play greater role in promoting good global governance

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is equipped and capable of taking the joint implementation of the Global Governance Initiative (GGI) as an opportunity to play a greater role in bringing the world under good governance, Chinese Premier Li Qiang said on Tuesday.

Li made the remarks when addressing the 24th Meeting of the Council of Heads of Government of Member States of the SCO.

Leaders and representatives from SCO members, observers and dialogue partners, guests of the host country, as well as leaders of international organizations attended the meeting, which was chaired by Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin.

China will never allow resurgence of Japanese militarism

Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on Tuesday that China will never allow the resurgence of Japanese militarism, nor will China allow anyone to challenge the post-war international order and undermine global peace and stability ever again.

Mao's remarks came after several Japanese officials indicated that Japan plans to modify the ranks of its Self-Defense Forces and revert to use then Imperial Japanese Army rank titles.

The aggression of Japanese militarism has inflicted profound suffering on Asia and the world, said Mao, adding that those who forget the consequences of the war will put themselves in grave peril.

U.S. House overwhelmingly passes bill requiring Justice Department to release Epstein files

The U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday overwhelmingly passed a bill requiring the Department of Justice (DOJ) to release files related to late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, after months of stalling from Republican leaders.

The lower chamber voted 427-1 to pass the Epstein Files Transparency Act, a nearly unanimous approval. Currently, there are 219 Republicans and 214 Democrats in the House.

The bill requires the DOJ to publish all unclassified records, documents, communications and investigative materials in its possession related to the investigation and prosecution of Epstein.

Russia will not attend upcoming Ukraine talks in Trkiye

Russia will not send representatives to the upcoming talks on Ukraine in Trkiye, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Tuesday.

He noted that these contacts are being carried out without Russia's participation and Moscow will await information on what will actually be discussed.

Peskov added that Russian President Vladimir Putin is open to conversations if Turkish and U.S. representatives consider it necessary to inform Moscow of the results of the talks.

13 killed in Israeli airstrike on Palestinian refugee camp in S. Lebanon

At least 13 people were killed and several others injured on Tuesday evening in an Israeli airstrike on the Ain al-Hilweh refugee camp in the city of Sidon in southern Lebanon, the Lebanese Health Ministry reported.

According to local TV channel al-Manar, the Israeli airstrike targeted a highly populated area in Ain al-Hilweh.

The channel reported that ambulances were transporting casualties to hospitals, while Israeli warplanes continued to fly at low altitude over the camp.

Israeli man killed, 3 wounded in West Bank attack

An Israeli man was killed and three others wounded in a ramming and stabbing attack in the occupied West Bank on Tuesday, carried out by two Palestinian suspects who were subsequently shot dead by security forces, Israeli officials said.

No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack.

The military said the attack took place at the Gush Etzion Junction, a major intersection in a settlement bloc south of Jerusalem.

Israeli response to settler violence "insufficient:" British Foreign Secretary

British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper told the House of Commons on Tuesday that the Israeli authorities' response to settler violence is "still completely insufficient -- practically and legally."

Addressing lawmakers on Tuesday afternoon, Cooper stressed that curbing settlement expansion and settler violence is essential to safeguarding the two-state solution, adding that "Palestine must be run by Palestinians."

She said a major scale-up of humanitarian assistance is urgently needed "because aid into Gaza is still a trickle rather than a flood."

Zagreb skyscraper fire under control, no report of casualties

A fire that broke out in one of Croatia's tallest skyscrapers on Monday is now under control, with no reports of casualties. However, the structure of the Vjesnik skyscraper in Zagreb has been completely destroyed.

No one was inside the building when the fire started just after 11 p.m. on Monday.

"The fire is under control, but it is normal that there are still sporadic outbreaks and open flames," Domagoj Crnic, firefighter and shift commander of the Zagreb Fire Department, told the local newspaper Jutarnji List. "The building is completely destroyed on the inside, and we will be able to give detailed assessments once the fire is fully extinguished," he added.