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Russia & Central Asia

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Russia's alleged election meddling
Ukraine
Russia
Vladimir Putin
Espionage
Security personnel armed with a machine gun patrol in central Moscow. Photo: Reuters
Ukraine war

Putin and Zelensky announce rival ceasefires ahead of Russia’s Victory Day

Moscow threatens ‘massive’ strike on Kyiv if May 9 parade is disrupted, as Ukraine plans own truce starting Tuesday night.

Diplomacy

Strait of Hormuz woes, US-Nato ‘crisis’: 7 global relations reads

Ukraine war

Drone hits upscale Moscow tower as city readies for Red Square parade

Ukraine war

Russia’s inching advance in Ukraine approaches eastern fortress belt

Kostiantynivka, along with other cities in eastern Ukraine, forms part of a so-called fortress belt well-fortified against Russian attack.

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A service member of the 93rd Kholodnyi Yar Separate Mechanized Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces walks on a road near destroyed cars, amid Russia’s attack on Ukraine, in the frontline town of Kostiantynivka in Donetsk region, Ukraine, on February 19. Photo: Reuters
A service member of the 93rd Kholodnyi Yar Separate Mechanized Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces walks on a road near destroyed cars, amid Russia’s attack on Ukraine, in the frontline town of Kostiantynivka in Donetsk region, Ukraine, on February 19. Photo: Reuters
US, Israel war on Iran

Trump hails ‘very good’ Putin call as Iran talks stall and Ukraine war drags on

US president says Russian leader offered help on Iran’s enriched uranium and discussed a Victory Day ceasefire in Ukraine.

Russia

Russia to hold equipment-free Red Square parade as Ukraine war grinds on

Moscow will exclude military equipment from its May 9 celebrations, citing ‘Ukrainian terrorist activity’.

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Ukraine war

Trump’s Ukraine envoy stepping down amid stalled peace talks with Russia

The State Department denied a report that Julie Davis’ departure was out of frustration and differences with the US president.

Julie Davis, US charge d’affaires ad interim to Ukraine, attends a session of Ukrainian parliament in Kyiv in May 2025. Photo: Reuters
Julie Davis, US charge d’affaires ad interim to Ukraine, attends a session of Ukrainian parliament in Kyiv in May 2025. Photo: Reuters
Ukraine war

Deadly record: Ukraine shoots down 33,000 Russian drones in 1 month

The figure, for March, is the highest monthly number of intercepted drones since Moscow began its attack on its neighbour in February 2022.

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Ukraine war

‘Serious incident’: drone attack on Russian oil refinery causes major fire

The blaze at the Black Sea Tuapse site, where operations were already halted due to a previous attack, led to the evacuation of some streets.

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North Korea

North Korea’s Kim renews pledge to support Russia at memorial for fallen troops

More than 6,000 North Korean soldiers are estimated to have died while fighting Ukrainians in Russia’s Kursk region.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un ((right) greets Russian Defence Minister Andrey Belousov with a hug in Pyongyang on Sunday. Photo: Russian Defence Ministry/EPA
Ukraine war

Strikes in Ukraine and Russia kill at least 16 on Chernobyl disaster anniversary

Ukraine’s Zelensky marks 40th anniversary with a warning that Russian attacks risk repeating history.

Ukrainian servicemen walk along a street under an anti-drone net in the frontline town of Druzhkivka, Donetsk region, Ukraine. Photo; Reuters
Ukrainian servicemen walk along a street under an anti-drone net in the frontline town of Druzhkivka, Donetsk region, Ukraine. Photo; Reuters
European Union

Ukrainians gather to remember Chernobyl disaster despite Russia’s war

The 1986 disaster shone a spotlight on lax safety standards and government secrecy in what was then the Soviet Union.

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United States

Taliban, Congo? Afghans stuck in Qatar who helped US war face more stress

After reports the US could send 1,100 Afghans who assisted the US to the DRC, the Taliban urged them to instead head back to their homeland.

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Ukraine war

At least 6 die in Ukraine, over 30 wounded, in massive Russian attack

Moscow launched 619 drones and 47 missiles overnight, said Kyiv, with explosions in several cities.

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Rescue workers clear the rubble of a residential building destroyed by a fatal Russian strike in Dnipro, Ukraine, on Saturday. Photo: AP
US, Israel war on Iran

Pakistan, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Egypt: the Middle East’s new power brokers?

‘Fear of US abandonment’ is helping forge a new Middle East – but don’t expect an Islamic Nato just yet.

(From left) Foreign Ministers Badr Abdelatty of Egypt, Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud of Saudi Arabia, Ishaq Dar of Pakistan and Hakan Fidan of Turkey meet to discuss regional de-escalation in Islamabad, Pakistan, on March 29. Photo: Turkish Foreign Ministry/Reuters
(From left) Foreign Ministers Badr Abdelatty of Egypt, Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud of Saudi Arabia, Ishaq Dar of Pakistan and Hakan Fidan of Turkey meet to discuss regional de-escalation in Islamabad, Pakistan, on March 29. Photo: Turkish Foreign Ministry/Reuters
Russia

Russia says US using coups, kidnappings to ‘defend its well-being’ at any cost

‘The United States has officially declared that no one can dictate to it,’ Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov says.

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Russia

Russia arrests German woman over bomb plot it says is linked to Ukraine

There have been arrests of Western citizens by Russia amid the Ukraine war, typically on espionage charges that are widely seen as baseless.

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Russia

Kremlin denies Putin’s isolation from Russia’s woes amid blogger’s criticism

Influencer Viktoria Bonya’s 20-million-view video sparked official response and action from Moscow.

Russian President Vladimir Putin. Photo: EPA
Russian President Vladimir Putin. Photo: EPA
Ukraine war

Russian strikes kill at least 17 across Ukraine in worst attack this year

Officials warn the toll could rise after Russia unleashed missiles and hundreds of drones at Ukrainian cities.

Ukraine war

Ukraine unit says it has launched over 100 robot attacks on Russia’s forces

President Zelensky says the ground drones – used in place of human infantry – have helped capture a Russian position.

US-China relations

Russian and Chinese envoys meet in Beijing to discuss Iran, Ukraine and Taiwan

Chinese readout warns of rising turmoil in veiled swipe at Washington and Trump as Beijing strengthens ties with Moscow.

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Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov (left) and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi pose before talks in Beijing on Tuesday. Photo: EPA
Banking & finance

Kazakh sovereign fund issues Central Asia’s first panda bond in ‘milestone’ sale

Samruk-Kazyna chairman says issuance marks ‘an important milestone in strengthening the strategic partnership between Kazakhstan and China’.

By the middle of last month, 78 billion yuan of panda bonds had been issued this year. Photo: Shutterstock
By the middle of last month, 78 billion yuan of panda bonds had been issued this year. Photo: Shutterstock
Indonesia

Why Indonesia’s Prabowo is in Russia – and what he needs from Putin

The visit aims to secure discounted crude as global prices soar, even as Jakarta holds high-level defence talks with Washington.

Ukraine war

‘Failing to help’: Ex-UK PM Boris Johnson criticises ‘timidity’ over Ukraine

Johnson’s three-day trip to Ukraine is the subject of a feature-length documentary called ‘Into The Kill Zone’.

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Ukraine war

Easter truce between Ukraine and Russia ends after thousands of violations

A brief 32-hour lull in the war is shattered as Kyiv and Moscow trade accusations of drone strikes, artillery and tank fire.

An Orthodox priest blesses Russian conscripts during a ceremony in Bataysk, in the Rostov region of Russia on Friday. Photo: Reuters
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