Briefly

RUSSIA

Visa-free policy will be reciprocated: Putin

Russia will reciprocate the decision of Chinese authorities to introduce visa-free travel for Russian citizens, President Vladimir Putin told an economic forum in Vladivostok on Friday. China has said it will extend visa-free travel to ordinary passport holders from Russia on a trial basis. The visa exemption will be valid for a period of one year from Sept 15, allowing entry to China for no more than 30 days.

UNITED STATES

Trump to sign order to rename department

US President Donald Trump was reportedly preparing to sign an executive order on Friday to rebrand the Department of Defense as the Department of War. The order would allow the name to be used as a secondary title in official correspondence, with references such as "Secretary of War", reported local media outlets. A full legal change would still require congressional approval. Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had argued the revival underscores a stronger "warrior ethos". Critics warned it could incur high costs and distract from security priorities.

ITALY

Fashion designer Giorgio Armani dies

Giorgio Armani, the iconic Italian designer, passed away at the age of 91, the company he founded and led for five decades announced on Thursday. Armani was one of the most recognizable names and faces in the global fashion industry. He founded his self-titled brand in 1975, and it now generates some $2.7 billion in annual revenue. Armani died at home, "peacefully, surrounded by his loved ones", the fashion house said.

SRI LANKA

Passenger bus skids off a cliff, killing 15

A Sri Lankan bus carrying local tourists visiting lush tea plantation hill towns plunged nearly 300 meters in a mountainous region, with the crash killing 15 people and injuring 16 others, a police spokesman said on Friday. The accident occurred near the town of Wellawaya, about 280 kilometers east of the capital Colombo. The group was returning home after a holiday when the bus hit another vehicle, crashed through guardrails and then shot over the side before toppling off the cliff. The accident is the worst since May, when 23 passengers died in a bus crash in Kotmale.

Agencies - Xinhua