#SputnikInfographics📊 🇨🇳 China marks 10th anniversary of Belt and Road initiative

Inspired by the Silk Road, an ancient network of trade routes that spanned the Asian and European continents for about 1,400 years until the mid-15th century, the Belt and Road project was launched in 2013 by Chinese President Xi Jinping.

By June 2023, more than 150 nations had signed the BRI cooperation pacts with China. Over 140 countries and 30 international organizations are expected to participate in this year’s event. Among the leaders due in Beijing this week are the presidents of Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Laos, and Mongolia, as well as the chair of the Eurasian Economic Commission's board.

Explore Sputnik's infographics to find out more!

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🇷🇺🇨🇳 President Putin is the first to enter Xi Jinping's welcome banquet

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🇹🇭 Thai PM Srettha Thavisin dons pink socks when meeting with Vladimir Putin

Many social media users have wondered how common it is for state leaders to choose pink in their business attire? Perhaps the fact is that Thavisin was involved in business in the past: in this environment, bold accents in clothing are more easily accepted.

At the same time, some experts say that this choice may refer to the cultural characteristics of the Thai people: supposedly in Thailand, pink is the color of Tuesday, and different colors can have different religious meanings. This version is confirmed by the fact that the Prime Minister wore a pink tie to the meeting.

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Ukraine launched American ATACMS ballistic missiles at Russian targets for the first time. M74 cluster munitions from these missiles were found in Berdyansk, Zaporozhye region, after night strikes by the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Vladimir Rogov, a senior official of the Zaporozhye regional administration said.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed the first use of ATACMS missiles by Ukrainian forces.

“Our agreements with President Biden are being implemented. They are carried out very accurately - ATACMS have proven themselves,” Zelensky said.

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🇮🇱 Israel's national security adviser predicted on Tuesday that the US would get "involved" if the Gaza war escalated to the point where Iran and Hezbollah joined in on behalf of Hamas.

In a televised briefing, Tzachi Hanegbi noted expressions of support by U.S. President Joe Biden, which included U.S. naval deployments in the Mediterranean and a public warning to the Lebanese group and to Tehran to stay out of the fighting.

"He is making clear to our enemies that if they even imagine taking part in the offensive against the citizens of Israel, there will be American involvement here," Hanegbi said.

"Israel will not be alone ... A U.S. force is here and it is ready," he added, without elaborating.

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President Putin said on Tuesday, commenting on a recent remark of US President Joe Biden about the need to "put down" the Russian leader that the US need to learn to respect others and be able to find compromises, then no one will need to be suppressed.

In a recent interview with CBS, Biden said that he is sure about running for the second presidential term, inviting to imaging what will happen if the US unites "all of Europe and Putin is finally put down where he cannot cause the kind of trouble he's been causing."

"They need to learn to respect others and then no one will have to be suppressed. But the desire to suppress someone all the time for some reason or for no reason at all leads to problems. They, of course, with their usual brilliance, love and do it well - they smile during protocol events, pat everyone on the shoulder. But respect for other people, for other countries, for other peoples lies elsewhere, lies in taking into account their interests," Putin said.

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🗣 What's happening in the Middle East is much more dangerous than the Ukrainian conflict:

"I was worried about World War III when it was Russia and Ukraine. I'm about ten times more worried right now with the Israel situation", Daniel McAdams, Executive Director of the 'Ron Paul Institute for Peace and Prosperity, told the Fault Lines show.

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More than 500 people were killed in an Israeli strike on a hospital in the Gaza Strip, according to the Gaza Ministry of Health.

❗️Ships of the Royal Navy have moved to the eastern Mediterranean to support Israel, the British Ministry of Defense said.

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After reports of a rocket hitting a hospital in Gaza, the Israeli army launched an investigation linking the incident to a failed Hamas rocket launch, according to media.

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📹 Ukrainian military is increasingly relying on foreign mercenaries to hold its positions in the Donbass, according to Tsigan, a Russian artillery commander.

🗣 “There are Poles and Americans. We’ve heard different languages [over intercepted radio communications]. Likely from all over the world,” he told Sputnik’s Russell Bentley (@TXDPR).

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🇮🇱🇵🇸 Latest updates on the Israel-Hamas conflict:

▪️The IDF and the Shin Bet eliminated one of Hamas' senior members who served as the commander of the central camp brigade of the Gaza Strip, the Israeli Air Force claimed;

▪️Later in the day, the Palestinian militant movement Hamas said that two of its senior members had been killed as a result of Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip. Those dead include Tayseer Ibrahim, the head of the Hamas judiciary, and preacher Wael Al-Zard, the movement said in a statement;

▪️German Chancellor Olaf Scholz arrived in Israel. US President Joe Biden is expected to arrive on Wednesday;

▪️Israel has asked the US for $10 billion in emergency military aid;

▪️At least 24 UN sites in the Gaza Strip have damaged by Israeli strikes and bombing, according to the UN;

▪️More than 500 people were killed in an Israeli strike on a hospital in the Gaza Strip, according to the Gaza Ministry of Health.

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