O GLOBO (BRASIL): Divergências à parte, há um consenso entre os líderes das grandes potências de que estamos numa encruzilhada histórica. O roteiro escolhido por Xi Jinping para sua primeira visita ao continente em quase cinco anos indica a Europa para a qual a China achou por bem ligar neste momento. Ao começar por Paris, Xi parece reconhecer que se há hoje uma liderança política europeia ela está no Palácio do Eliseu. Com a popularidade em baixa no seu país, o presidente francês, Emmanuel Macron, recebe Xi Jinping disposto a assumir a liderança da União Europeia, que ficou vaga com a saída de cena da chanceler alemã Angela Merkel e a ausência de brilho do sucessor dela, Olaf Scholz. A visão que Macron tem projetado do futuro é sombria. O que marca a fala de Macron, além do tom alarmista, é a mensagem de que o mundo está numa encruzilhada histórica. Com variações, é um tema que também tem aparecido nos discursos dos líderes das duas maiores economias do mundo, China e EUA. Um dos mantras de Xi no último ano é que há mudanças em curso que não ocorriam há um século — mensagem que ele incluiu na conversa com Macron no Eliseu. Em seu discurso na Sorbonne, Macron reitera o conceito de “autonomia estratégica”, que ele considera fundamental para que a Europa não dependa dos EUA para sua segurança e tecnologia, principalmente caso Trump volte ao poder. É uma ideia que certamente recebeu a simpatia de Xi nas conversas que ele teve com Macron: para a China, enfraquecer a aliança transatlântica facilita sua ambição de criar uma nova ordem mundial.
LE FIGARO (FRANCE) : Emmanuel Macron et Ursula von der Leyen affichent leur fermeté face à Xi Jinping. Les désaccords commerciaux ont marqué lundi le début d’une visite d’État de deux jours en France de Xi Jinping, qui a balayé les inquiétudes européennes face à la fermeté affichée par Emmanuel Macron et la présidente de la Commission européenne, Ursula von der Leyen. Si les trois dirigeants, réunis ensemble dans la matinée à l’Élysée, ont fait mine de vouloir avancer dans la même direction au sujet de la guerre en Ukraine, l’autre grand dossier du moment, ils n’ont pas tenté de dissimuler les tensions qui s’accumulent sur le commerce.
GLOBAL TIMES (CHINA): China and France should uphold mutual benefits, jointly oppose acts of “decoupling” and disrupting industrial and supply chains, and say no together to building barriers, President Xi Jinping made the remarks on Monday when holding talks with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron in Paris. China and France should uphold independence and jointly fend off a “new Cold War” or bloc confrontation, Xi said. Through the visit of the Chinese top leader, Europeans will also have the opportunity to think about how to handle its relations with China, whether to follow the US to engage in confrontation and lose their own interests, or to jointly develop mutual benefits and get win-win results.
SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST (HONG KONG, CHINA): Is China the target of new US global cyberspace and digital technology strategy? Policy aims to stop Washington and its allies falling behind rivals in the tech race in a move that appears to be aimed at Beijing.
INDEPENDENT (GB): A massive Chinese cyberattack targeted the UK’s Ministry of Defence in a breach revealing the details of armed forces personnel, according to reports. The attack, believed to have been done two or three times, was on a third-party payroll system including the details of tens of thousands of British armed forces and veterans. It is not believed any data was taken and the MoD urged service people not to be concerned for their safety.
THE GUARDIAN (GB): Russian President Vladimir Putin will be sworn into office at a lavish ceremony in the Kremlin later today, embarking on a record-breaking fifth term with more power than ever before. The ceremony comes at an especially tense time for Russia’s diplomatic relations given that yesterday it announced tactical nuclear drills and threatened to strike British military facilities amid its anger over comments by senior politicians including Emmanuel Macron and David Cameron.
THE WASHINGTON POST (USA): Under Putin, a militarized new Russia rises to challenge U.S. and the West. As Vladimir Putin persists in his bloody campaign to conquer Ukraine, the Russian leader is directing an equally momentous transformation at home — re-engineering his country into a regressive, militarized society that views the West as its mortal enemy. Putin’s inauguration on Tuesday for a fifth term will not only mark his 25-year-long grip on power but also showcase Russia’s shift into what pro-Kremlin commentators call a “revolutionary power,” set on upending the global order, making its own rules, and demanding that totalitarian autocracy be respected as a legitimate alternative to democracy in a world redivided by big powers into spheres of influence.
IZVESTIA (RUSSIA): Безусловный сигнал: что означают учения нестратегических ядерных сил. Учения нестратегических ядерных сил, в которых примут участие ракетные войска Южного военного округа, авиация и ВМФ, станут ответом на агрессивные заявления и угрозы западных политиков. Целью объявленных по поручению президента маневров названо поддержание готовности личного состава и техники и безусловное обеспечение территориальной целостности и суверенитета российского государства.
THE NEW YORK TIMES (USA): Russia said on Monday that it would hold military exercises with troops based near Ukraine to practice for the possible use of battlefield nuclear weapons, ratcheting up tensions with the West after two European leaders raised the prospect of more direct Western intervention in the war. Russian officials claimed the order was in response to comments from the West about the possibility of more direct Western involvement in the war in Ukraine. And it came at the start of a week of extensive publicity for the Russian leader, with his inauguration scheduled for Tuesday, followed on Thursday by the annual Victory Day celebration, which commemorates the Soviet defeat of Nazi Germany in 1945.
POLITICO (USA): How to turn Trump against Russia? Ask Poland’s President Duda. The country’s government turns to old foes for help in grooming the U.S. presidential candidate. The Polish government believes it has a secret weapon to shift Donald Trump against Russian leader Vladimir Putin — the country’s out-of-power populists. And in politically divided Poland — where the government led by PM Donald Tusk and PiS war over everything from the EU to abortion, public television, rule of law, a project to build a new airport and even electric cars — there is rare agreement on the need to butter up Trump. The reason is that both sides are united on the risk posed by Russia, and on the danger of the U.S. pulling out of NATO and abandoning Europe under a second Trump presidency. But Poland’s overriding national interest can be difficult to translate in the U.S.
THE MAINICHI SHIMBUN (JAPAN): Japan’s top government spokesman said Tuesday that U.S. President Joe Biden's recent labeling of Japan as xenophobic is “regrettable,” but pledged to continue efforts to bolster bilateral ties. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said Tokyo has told Washington that Biden’s remarks, made last week at a 2024 presidential election fundraising event attended by a large number of Asian American voters, were not based on an accurate understanding of Japan’s immigration policy.
FINANCIAL TIMES (GB): Hamas accepts hostage-for-prisoner swap proposal. Israel says plan falls short of its requirements and vows to continue military campaign in Gaza.
KOMMERSANT (RUSSIA): Палестинское движение ХАМАС в понедельник сообщило о своем согласии с предложением посредников — Катара и Египта — о перемирии в Газе. Как рассказали в движении, не вдаваясь в детали, план состоит из трех этапов и предусматривает “полный вывод израильских войск”, а также обмен заложников на палестинских заключенных. Правда, израильские СМИ со ссылкой на высокопоставленные источники в правительстве моментально сообщили: та сделка, на которую согласны хамасовцы, с представителями еврейского государства вообще не обсуждалась, и речь идет об “уловке, чтобы выставить Израиль стороной, отказывающейся от сделки”.
THE TIMES OF ISRAEL: IDF says tanks in control of Gazan side of Rafah crossing to Egypt, key road captured. Army says 20 gunmen killed, 3 tunnels found and explosive-laden car hit in overnight fighting. 2 troops killed in Hezbollah drone attack, 6 held for attacking Gaza aid convoy.
THE JERUSALEM POST (ISRAEL): Israel has reportedly begun launching airstrikes and evacuated some 100,000 of the over one million Palestinians sheltering in Rafah. Dozens of Gazans are trying to cross the border to Egypt from Rafah, according to an Egyptian report on Monday. The report comes as an anticipated Rafah operation has seemingly moved forward. Defense Minister Yoav Gallant clarified that the invasion was being rolled out incrementally and in multiple stages so that if Hamas at some point agreed to a reasonable hostage exchange deal that was accepted by Israel, it could be halted.
TEHRAN TIMES (IRAN): Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has urged Hajj pilgrims to disavow U.S. and Israeli actions, emphasizing the intersection of religious devotion and geopolitical tensions. As Muslims embark on the sacred journey of Hajj, Ayatollah Khamenei’s directive underscores the moral imperative for believers to confront injustice and oppression, particularly in light of the ongoing crisis in Gaza.
HINDUSTAN TIMES (INDIA): PM Narendra Modi says he does not oppose Islam.
The statement comes as the Opposition accused him and the Bharatiya Janata Party of targeting Muslims after he allegedly referred to Muslims as “infiltrators” who have “more children”. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said he does not oppose Islam or Muslims and wants the community to think about their future growth as they vote in an ongoing Lok Sabha elections 2024 that completes its third phase on Tuesday, May 7.
AL-AHRAM (EGYPT): New Russian military advisors and military equipment have arrived in Niger, according to state television in the African country that wants US forces to leave. A first set of about 100 Russian advisors had arrived in Niger on April 10 along with air defence systems. Two military transporters arrived Saturday, according to Tele Sahel that said Russia has now sent three cargo planes of military material and instructors in the past month. The Africa Corps, seen as the successors of the Wagner paramilitary group in Africa, confirmed the instructors’ arrival in a posting on the group’s Telegram account. On Saturday, it said more trainers, equipment, and food products had arrived.
NIKKEI (JAPAN): Myanmar ruler Min Aung Hlaing yearns for public acceptance
Beleaguered military chief seems torn between ambition and self-preservation. Revelers in Myanmar celebrate the traditional New Year in mid-April by splashing water on each other to cool off and cleanse themselves of the sins of the old year. But the festive mood seemed subdued this year, overshadowed by the enforcement of a conscription law by the military regime under the leadership of Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing. On Feb. 10, the regime abruptly put into effect the People’s Military Service Law, which was enacted in 2010 but had been shelved in the country’s transition to civilian rule. The draft applies to men ages 18 to 35 for now. The military says there are just over 6 million men in that age bracket, and it will call up 5,000 people per month for a total of 60,000 a year.
LE MONDE (FRANCE): La journée pénible de Donald Trump à son procès, entre menace de prison et leçon de comptabilité. Devant le tribunal de New York, lundi 6 mai, des employés de la Trump Organization ont détaillé les mécanismes destinés à masquer le paiement de 130 000 dollars à l’actrice de X Stormy Daniels, pour acheter son silence avant l’élection présidentielle de 2016. Cette activité inspire moins les titres des journaux que les scandales sexuels et politiques. Pourtant, elle constitue la colonne vertébrale du procès en cours à New York, où Donald Trump est le seul prévenu. Lundi 6 mai, les douze jurés ont été invités à un long et ardu cours de rattrapage sur la gestion financière de la Trump Organization, à la fois pyramidale et familiale.
THE WASHINGTON TIMES (USA): Documents reveal Biden’s pressure campaign to censor Facebook, YouTube, Amazon. YouTube, Facebook and Amazon were frustrated in early 2021 by the Biden administration’s “pressure” to censor and demote content related to COVID-19 vaccines and the origins of the coronavirus.
THE WALL STREET JOURNAL (USA): Indonesia economy expands steadily at start of year, but challenges persist. Southeast Asia’s largest expanded steadily in the first quarter from a year earlier on resilient domestic consumption, but the impact of tight monetary policy and export weakness casts some doubt about whether that pace of growth can continue. Southeast Asia’s largest economy grew 5.11% on the year in the first quarter, Indonesia’s official statistics agency said Monday. That compared with the previous quarter’s 5.04% expansion and was in line with economists’ expectations in a Wall Street Journal poll.