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Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán met with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday in Moscow, days after a similar visit to Kyiv, Ukraine, to discuss the ongoing Russian invasion with Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky. The Kremlin offered Orbán a cordial reception, just as Kyiv did less than a week ago, but leaders in the European Union issued statements appearing to indicate disapproval of Orbán’s travels. Orbán, who currently holds the presidency of the Council of the European Union, has described his travel as a “peace mission” intended to “clarify the facts” between Zelensky and Putin, hoping to carve out space...

Claiming he was just trying to free Josh Holt, a devout young Mormon from Utah held hostage by Venezuela's Maduro regime on phony charges, left-wing Illinois Democratic senator Dick Durbin isn't exactly credible about his real mission in his secret visit to Caracas this past week. Rep. Pete Sessions, a Dallas-based Republican, isn't exactly believable, either, given that he called his secret trip with Durbin "a peace mission" to Caracas last week.

China has successfully tested its first hypersonic missile delivery vehicle capable of penetrating US missile defense system and delivering nuclear warheads with record breaking speeds, Pentagon officials have confirmed. The new hypersonic glide vehicle (HGV), dubbed the WU-14 was allegedly spotted flying at record-breaking speeds during a flight test over China on January 9, an anonymous Pentagon official told the Washington Free Beacon. The new weapon delivery system is reportedly designed to be launched as the final stage of China’s intercontinental ballistic missile, which would approach its target at a velocity of up to 10 times the speed of sound....

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa - The council of world leaders launched by former President Nelson Mandela is sending a three-person team to help ease tensions in the troubled Middle East, the organization known as The Elders said Friday. Former President Jimmy Carter, former U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan and former Irish president Mary Robinson will visit Israel, the Palestinian territories, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, and Saudi Arabia from April 13-21. Launched last year to celebrate Mandela's 89th birthday, the group of 12 world leaders is dedicated to fostering peace and resolving global crises. Annan noted his recent mission to Kenya in which...

Military rethinks Afghan tactics TU THANH HA From Monday's Globe and Mail The Canadian military says it is reviewing how it operates in Afghanistan, after its first week in charge of coalition troops in the southern part of the country ended with an axe attack on an officer during a meeting with villagers and the return home of the remains of two soldiers killed in a traffic accident. Captain Trevor Greene, 41, was flown to a U.S. military hospital in Landstuhl, Germany, where he was in serious but stable condition yesterday after a man surged from a crowd, shouted "Allahu...

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa (Reuters) - Former South African president Nelson Mandela said on Monday he would not accept an invitation by Western peace activists to visit Baghdad to help prevent a war. The Nobel Peace Laureate has accused President Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair of running roughshod over the United Nations in their bid to oust Iraqi President Saddam Hussein. The 84-year-old statesman, respected the world over for his fight against apartheid-era discrimination, was asked by Western peace activists and the Iraqi government to visit Baghdad. But the frail Mandela said he would first consult his family. "They...

Developing on the Rueters wire..

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Secretary of State Colin Powell arrived in Israel on Thursday on a peace mission overshadowed by Israeli defiance over its West Bank offensive and a Palestinian suicide bombing on the eve of his visit.Powell, adding higher profile to Washington's reactivated Middle East peacemaking role, flew to Tel Aviv after talks in Jordan, Morocco, Egypt and Spain which focused on 18 months of bloodshed since Palestinians rose up against Israeli occupation.The United States has led international calls for Israel to withdraw its troops from Palestinian cities, towns, villages and refugee camps it has occupied in an offensive intended...