A Russian Communist Party official was killed in a Ukrainian drone attack in Belgorod, according to Russian authorities. The incident was described by Russia as a 'terrorist attack' by Ukrainian armed forces.

A top Communist Party official reiterated Beijing's stance to ASEAN, stating that China does not aim to become a regional hegemon and vowing to strengthen energy cooperation with the bloc.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has released a new guide on performance appraisals for promoting Communist Party officials, coinciding with an overhaul of the party's system.

China's Politburo has passed new rules for the work of local Communist Party committees, calling for officials to uphold a "correct view" of political performance.

China is experiencing a new wave of crackdowns on pro-democracy activists, while two investigative journalists accused of corruption have been released on bail.