Why the world was wrong about Putin | Analysis People are packing up in their cars. They're getting out of here. A few days before I found myself standing there on the edge of Kharkiv, watching those first tank shells hit into the apartment blocks in Saltyvka, my editor, Louis Emmanuel, had asked me to come up with something to be published on the day of the war, if the war began, explaining to readers why this was happening. And I was hoping it would never be published. It was, and the answer I came up with was, probably in the simple balance of power. I quote it, Russia's military is at its strongest and most capable since the Cold War. Its public finances are also in good order, and Mr Putin may believe he is well placed to bear the costs of the conflict and inevitable sanctions. We'll come back to that in a second. The West is conversely at a moment of historic econo...

Summary: Niger experiences a shift from pro-democracy to pro-junta demonstrations after the coup. International condemnation and sanctions follow the coup, urging a return to constitutional governance. Regional organization Iqawas, led by President Bola Tanubu, seeks a collective response against the junta. Counter-terrorism concerns arise due to the presence of Islamist groups linked to ISIS and Al Qaeda in Niger. Mixed signals from Russia highlight divisions in response to the coup, with Wagner's role in the region questioned. ...

Summary: North Korea 's attempt to launch a military spy satellite ended in failure for the second time, as the rocket experienced problems during its third stage. The country's previous attempt in May also resulted in failure , with the rocket plunging into the sea. North Korea plans to retry launching the satellite in October, aiming to deploy its first military intelligence satellite. The failure comes shortly after talks between the U.S., South Korea, and Japan about joint military exercises to address North Korea 's threats. The ro...

Russia Continues Fourth Day of Attacks on Ukrainian Food Export Facilities amid Escalating Tensions Summary: Russia launches consecutive attacks on Ukrainian food export facilities for four days. Tensions escalate with Ukraine's defiance of Russia's naval blockade on grain export ports. Western leaders view the attacks as an attempt by Russia to evade sanctions and cause a global food crisis. Russia claims the attacks are in retaliation for a Ukrainian strike on a Russian-built bridge to Crimea. Concerns rise over the safety of civilian shipping in the Black Sea region. Escalations continue as Poland reinforces its border amid Russia...

Summary: Russia's Lunar 25 spacecraft crashes into the moon after an uncontrolled orbit. The mission aimed to achieve a historic landing on the moon's South Pole to detect water and ice. The crash impacts Russia's sense of prestige and national pride amidst ongoing challenges. India's similar mission highlights the competitive nature of space exploration . Space exploration holds historical significance for Russia's national identity. The incident's impact reaches beyond the space agency, affecting Russia as a whole. ...

Summary: Russia accuses Ukraine of launching a drone attack on Moscow, hitting non-residential buildings and an ammunition depot in Crimea. No casualties reported in both incidents. Tensions between Russia and Ukraine escalated after several airstrikes on Odessa and the end of a grain shipment agreement. The situation in Odessa remains challenging as Russia continues to target port infrastructure. Unverified claims and footage raise questions about the true nature of the drone attack on Moscow. ...

Georgian government drops 'Russian law' after days of protests In many ways they're seen as just kind of looking at how to look after themselves to maintain their grip on power And these kinds of tools they're borrowing from the Kremlin playbook because it's effective at quelling dissent So they're you could argue that they're they're not exactly pro-russian They're just behaving in a way that will in an authoritarian way that will enable them to hold Sure. Well last night was actually the second night of Mastery protests that we've been seeing here in Tbilisi And before that even people were coming out in crowds to protest against this legislation That the government's been trying to push through and again last night we had police in riot gear using water cannon and tear gas and pepper spray to Dispel to get rid of the protesters who were o...

Summary: European nations have started evacuating citizens from Niger, with France and Italy conducting evacuations. West Africa's regional bloc, Echoas, is convening to address the military coup in Niger. Analysts doubt the likelihood of Echoas resorting to military action against the coup leaders. The situation in Niger raises concerns about potential involvement of foreign actors and the threat from jihadist groups. European nations have begun evacuating hundreds of cit...

Summary: The Killers faced criticism for inviting a Russian fan on stage during their concert in Georgia, given the historical tensions between the two countries. Georgia has a history of anti-Russian sentiment due to past conflicts and the ongoing occupation of its territory by Russian military forces. The influx of Russian refugees into Georgia has both economic benefits and social resentments, as many are avoiding conscription rather than protesting against Russian actions. Georgia's government is accused of moving closer to Moscow despite claims of a Western orientation, raising concerns about its alignment with Russia and ...