China opposes unwarranted interference by external forces in Cuba: FM

China firmly supports Cuba in safeguarding its national sovereignty and security, opposes unwarranted interference by external forces, and rejects any attempt to deprive the Cuban people of their right to survival and development, said Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing on Thursday.

Wang made the remarks during talks with Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla, who is the special envoy of the party and government of Cuba, a member of the Politburo of the Central Committee of the Cuban Communist Party and the foreign minister of Cuba.

Trump calls for replacing U.S.-Russia nuclear treaty with "modernized" deal

U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday called for replacing the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) between the United States and Russia with a "modernized" deal.

"We should have our Nuclear Experts work on a new, improved, and modernized Treaty that can last long into the future," Trump said on Truth Social.

He refused to extend the treaty which expired on Thursday, and criticized it, saying the pact is "a badly negotiated deal by the United States" and "is being grossly violated."

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned on Wednesday that the expiration of New START marks a "grave moment" for international peace and security.

ECB holds interest rates steady

The European Central Bank (ECB) on Thursday decided to leave key interest rates unchanged at its first monetary policy meeting of 2026, marking the fifth consecutive hold since July 2025.

The deposit facility rate, the primary tool used by the ECB to steer monetary policy, remains unchanged at 2 percent and hence the rates on the main refinancing operations and the marginal lending facility stay at 2.15 percent and 2.4 percent respectively.

The central bank reconfirmed in a statement that the inflation outlook remains stable and economy has been resilient.

Russia-Ukraine talks ends with prisoner swap deal, key differences unresolved

The second round of U.S.-brokered talks between Russia and Ukraine concluded here on Thursday, with both sides agreeing to a large-scale prisoner exchange but failing to achieve substantive breakthroughs on core issues such as territorial arrangements and a ceasefire.

The talks ended with no joint political or security statement, underscoring persistent differences between Russia and Ukraine on key matters, including territorial disputes, ceasefire arrangements, and security guarantees.

U.S. President's Special Envoy Steve Witkoff said representatives from the three countries reached a consensus on a prisoner swap, describing the discussions as "specific and constructive." He added, however, that greater efforts would be required to advance a comprehensive settlement of the conflict.