Why Putin wants Donbas: Russia's military stronghold goal

Russian President Vladimir Putin is once again trying to obtain through political and diplomatic pressure what he failed to conquer by force.

€88m Louvre jewel heist highlights museum security flaws

The Louvre Museum reopened on Wednesday, 22 October, three days after a heist in which royal jewels valued at €88m were stolen, France24 reports.

Kyiv extends martial law and boosts defence budget by $7.7bn

Ukraine's parliament on Tuesday approved a budget amendment that boosts the defence budget by $7.7bn, and extended martial law and general mobilisation until February 2026.

Moscow plans to seize property in occupied Ukrainian regions

Russia has approved plans to nationalise homes considered "ownerless" in the occupied Ukrainian regions of Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson.

No request has yet been submitted to grant Putin’s plane access to Romanian airspace, Oana Țoiu

No flight has been confirmed, and no request has been submitted to allow Russian President Vladimir Putin access to Romanian airspace for his trip to Budapest, said Bucharest Foreign Minister Oana Țoiu.

Doha talks: Pakistan and Afghanistan agree border truce

Pakistan and Afghanistan have agreed to an immediate ceasefire following lengthy talks in Qatar, after the worst border clashes in decades. The agreement was reached on Sunday, October 19.

Trump-Putin call: Russia demands full control of Donetsk

Vladimir Putin demanded the complete relinquishing of the Donetsk region during a phone call with President Donald Trump this week as a condition for a ceasefire, two senior officials familiar with the discussion told the Washington Post.

Fragile Gaza Truce: Clashes kill 38 Palestinians; Rafah crossing closed

Gaza authorities have accused Israel of violating the armistice with Hamas 47 times since it came into effect, with 38 Palestinians killed and 143 others injured, The Guardian reports.

Longest blackout ends at Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant

Repair work has begun to restore off-site power to the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) after a four-week outage, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) announced.

Russia-Ukraine war: Desertion cases hit 25,000, HUR claims

More than 25,000 Russian soldiers and officers have deserted the Russian army since late 2024, Ukraine's Defence Intelligence (HUR) reported on Saturday.

US stance on Ukraine: Why Trump won't take a 'decisive stance' against Putin

The talks between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Donald Trump were very difficult; they were neither a failure nor a success.

Lukashenko seeks 'great deal' as Belarus eyes end to sanctions

Belarus has proposed talks with European Union countries to normalise relations, in a bid to end the political isolation it has faced since 2020, European diplomatic sources told Reuters.