Georgians mark one year since deadly Tbilisi floods

Borrell underlined that the European Union will make every effort to support the peace process and to remain a committed partner to the Afghan people. "Of course, we will have to take into account the evolving situation, but disengagement is not an option.  We are clear on that: there is no alternative to a negotiated political settlement, through inclusive peace talks.

A massive military parade in Beijing, a tough speech by leader Xi Jin-peng, and an audience led by the leaders of like minded countries, including Russia, Iran and North Korea, was how China on Wednesday, 3 September, marked the 80th anniversary of its victory over Japan in WWII. One of the most enduring images of this military parade took place before the first cannon was fired. President Xi welcoming North Korea’s Kim Jong Un with a long handshake, then moving onto greet Russia’s Vladimir Putin before all three walked together to watch the parade was sheer political theatre - and it is this meeting, not just the weapons and troops on show that appears to have grabbed the attention of US leader Donald Trump. This was the first time all three leaders have been seen in public together, and they really picked their moment. What followed was a choreographed spectacle of precision, power and patriotism. The choir stood in perfectly even rows, the troops goose stepped past in unison and each strike of the ground echoed through the stands of 50,000 guests in Tiananmen Square. Then came the big weapons - a new ICBM, laser weapons and robotic wolves - and the crowd reached for their phones. The parade finished on a crowd pleasing fly past before thousands of doves and balloons were released into the skies over the capital. This display to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War, was not just a look at where China has been, or how far China has come.It showcased where China is going: Xi playing the role of a global leader prepared to stand alongside two of the most sanctioned leaders in the world. This display to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War, was not just a look at where China has been, or how far China has come.It showcased where China is going: Xi playing the role of a global leader prepared to stand alongside two of the most sanctioned leaders in the world. 1. s we reported earlier, we saw new formations today - with the Aerospace Force, Cyberspace Force, and Information Support Force marching for the first time. This, says defence analyst Michael Raska, sends Beijing’s message that it is rewiring the People's Liberation Army around data, AI, and joint operations. "The strength here is top-down political mandate; the Chinese system can impose sweeping structural reforms quickly, embedding space, cyber, and information warfare into command structures," says the assistant professor of the military transformations programme at the Nanyang Technological University of Singapore. "Yet the weakness runs deep: repeated purges, especially in the Rocket Force, highlight corruption, mistrust, and politicisation. Centralised command may look impressive in peacetime, but it risks brittleness in high-tempo combat. What China wants the world to see is a military transformed for the information age - but internally, cohesion and credibility remain fragile." "In the end, this is deterrence theater: a powerful message to friends and rivals alike, but one that masks as many uncertainties as it displays strengths." Share 2. What do we know about the robotic 'wolves'?published at 06:01 06:01 00:08 Media caption, Watch: 'Robotic wolves' featured in China's military parade Meet China's newest weapon - the "robot wolves". A contingent of four-legged robots have caught attention at the parade today, they're a relatively new - and eye-catching - asset in China's arsenal. The machines are capable of frontline reconnaissance, delivering supplies and even launching precision strikes against targets, according to Chinese state media. Their predecessor, "robot dogs", were unveiled at a joint military exercise with Cambodia last year. But they were rebranded "wolves" as part of a "strategic transformation", Chinese state media CCTV reported last year. State media says the wolves have improved combat effectiveness and strike capability - and are equipped with cameras to strike targets more precisely. One key takeaway from the parade is that China has been able to quickly produce a diverse range of weapons, say experts. Ten years ago, the kind of military technology they put on show tended to be "rudimentary copies" of much more advanced equipment invented by the US, says analyst Michael Raska, assistant professor at Nanyang Technological University. But today's parade showed a much more innovative and diverse range of weapons, particularly in its drones and missiles. China's top-down structure and significant resources enables it to churn out new weapons in huge quantities much faster than many other countries including the West. But two things will send shivers down western diplomatic spines. One is the speed with which China is filling the vacuum left by America’s withdrawal from international norms and institutions. A Chinese-led world order, one where territorial integrity and human rights are valued less than raw power and economic development, might prove uncomfortable for many western countries. And second, the way harsh US tariffs have pushed India, the world’s biggest democracy, so quickly into the warm embrace of China, the world’s biggest autocracy, will also be of concern. One small crumb of comfort for the West is that the so-called “axis of upheaval” on show in Beijing is not united - and India, in particular, is still at odds with China over territorial and other disputes. The bottom line is that the economic nationalism and disruptive diplomacy of Donald Trump’s America is giving China a huge diplomatic opportunity and it’s one Xi is seizing with open arms with his summit and parade. • Chinese leader Xi Jinping greeted world leaders before the parade - including Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un • In his address, Xi called on Chinese people to remember the World War Two victory over Japan, cautioning that "humanity rises and