Russian President Vladimir Putin has invited African airlines to begin operating flights to Russia as Moscow seeks to strengthen trade, tourism and economic cooperation with countries across the continent.

Putin made the invitation on Wednesday, October 28, while addressing the plenary session of the Russia-Africa Economic and Humanitarian Forum in Moscow. He said Russia was ready to expand its partnerships with African countries in areas including trade, energy, pharmaceuticals and transportation.

The Russian leader said Moscow was prepared to support the development of reliable logistics networks to facilitate trade and investment between Russia and Africa.

He also offered Russian expertise in the design, construction and modernisation of roads, railways, maritime routes and transport hubs. According to Putin, these facilities could be equipped with digital systems for management, cargo tracking and customs declarations.

Putin expressed confidence that trade between Russia and African countries could exceed $50 billion in the near future. He disclosed that bilateral trade surpassed $27 billion in 2025, compared with $18 billion in 2022, and said both sides had the potential to increase the figure significantly.

He also revealed that Russia was involved in more than 30 potential energy projects across 16 African countries, highlighting energy as another area for expanded cooperation.

In the pharmaceutical sector, Putin said Russia planned to support local production of medicines and vaccines in Africa, alongside the establishment of laboratories and diagnostic centres.

The forum is taking place alongside the Russia-Africa summit, which brings together African leaders and representatives to discuss cooperation in trade, investment, infrastructure, energy and other areas.

Putin’s invitation could create opportunities for African airlines to explore direct routes to Russian destinations, potentially improving connectivity for passengers and businesses. However, the announcement did not identify specific airlines or confirm when new routes might begin operating.

Spanish football club Real Madrid has apologised to the Chinese people following controversy surrounding comments made by its French forward, Kylian Mbappé, about former Chinese leader Mao Zedong.

The club issued the apology on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, after Mbappé’s remarks triggered widespread criticism in China, prompting several Chinese companies to terminate their commercial partnerships with the football star.

In a statement, Real Madrid expressed regret over any offence caused by the player’s comments and reaffirmed its respect for China, its history, culture and citizens, including the millions of Chinese supporters who follow the club.

The statement also acknowledged Mbappé’s personal apology, in which the France captain expressed regret and reiterated his respect for the Chinese people.

The controversy began after a video from an interview with the French podcast The Bridge circulated online. In the clip, Mbappé discussed an internet meme featuring his face superimposed on an image of Mao, describing the former Chinese leader as a dictator.

The video was subsequently removed from the programme’s social media accounts, but the remarks had already generated significant backlash among Chinese football fans and social media users.

Mbappé issued an apology on Tuesday, acknowledging that his comments had been ill-judged and had hurt people in China and Chinese communities around the world.

The 27-year-old said offending people was not his intention and reiterated his respect for China and its history. His statement was published in French, Chinese and English.

However, the apology did not immediately end the controversy.

Chinese companies, including dairy producers Mengniu and Shanghai Milkground Food Tech, as well as beverage company Eastroc, announced that they were ending their commercial relationships with the footballer.

Chinese social media platforms also restricted activity involving Mbappé’s accounts, while the country’s state broadcaster suspended coverage of Spanish LaLiga matches.

The controversy prompted LaLiga president Javier Tebas to establish a crisis unit to address the situation and its potential impact on the league’s relationship with Chinese fans and commercial partners.

Tebas also apologised to Chinese supporters, expressing regret over the offence caused by Mbappé’s comments and promising measures to improve cultural awareness among clubs and players.

China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Guo Jiakun, said on Wednesday that Beijing took Mbappé’s apology seriously when asked about the player’s statement.

The incident highlights the commercial and reputational risks international sports figures and organisations face when their remarks provoke controversy in China, a significant market for football broadcasting, sponsorships and merchandise.

Italy’s Chamber of Deputies has given final approval to a major overhaul of the country’s electoral system, clearing the way for new voting rules ahead of next year’s general election.

The legislation, backed by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s government, was approved in a secret ballot by 227 votes to 164 on Thursday, October 8.

The reform replaces Italy’s existing mixed electoral system with a fully proportional representation system. Under the new arrangement, a coalition securing more than 42 per cent of the vote would receive bonus seats intended to give it a working parliamentary majority.

The bonus would provide an additional 70 seats in the 400-member Chamber of Deputies and 35 seats in the 200-member Senate, although limits have been placed on the maximum number of seats a coalition can obtain through the system.

The reform also requires political parties and coalitions to identify their candidate for prime minister before the election. However, Italy’s constitution continues to give the president the formal authority to appoint the prime minister.

Meloni and her governing coalition have argued that the changes are designed to produce clearer election outcomes and improve government stability. Opposition parties, however, have strongly criticised the legislation, arguing that the new rules could restrict voter choice and unfairly benefit the governing coalition.

The opposition has also indicated that it intends to challenge aspects of the reform before Italy’s Constitutional Court once the law takes effect.

The final vote concludes months of debate and disagreements within both the governing coalition and opposition. The new electoral framework is expected to play an important role in Italy’s next general election, which is due in 2027.