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July 12, 2026
 

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RUSSIA

U.S. President Donald Trump’s planned withdrawal of 5,000 U.S. troops from Germany could undermine NATO cohesion and diminish U.S. influence in Europe and Asia.
COMMENTARY / World
May 18, 2026
Trump’s troop drawdown in Germany is a warning shot
The withdrawal of U.S. forces from Germany sparks strategic questions for Europe and Asia.
A ship suspected of belonging to Russia's "shadow fleet," which was boarded by the Swedish coast guard outside Trelleborg, southern Sweden, on May 3
WORLD
May 18, 2026
Russia expands LNG dark fleet with four tankers to boost exports
The developments mean that there are now at least 20 tankers being used to ferry LNG from sanctioned Russian projects, according to tracking data.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Belarusian counterpart, Alexander Lukashenko, attend the Victory Day military parade in Moscow on May 9, the day Russia celebrates the anniversary of the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany in WWII.
COMMENTARY / World
May 18, 2026
How Moscow lost friends and global influence
With even Russia’s closest friends hedging their bets, the Kremlin’s ability to project power and shape world affairs has been severely weakened.
Moldovan President Maia Sandu (center), Secretary General of the Council of Europe Alain Berset (right) and Moldovan Foreign Minister Mihai Popsoi attend the 135th Session of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe at the Palace of the Republic in Chisinau, Moldova, on Friday.
WORLD / Politics
May 18, 2026
Moldovan leaders decry Russian move on citizenship for separatist region
Transnistria broke from Moldova in 1990 when it was still a Soviet republic, and the enclave receives substantial Russian assistance.
Russian rescuers work in a heavily damaged house following an air attack at an undisclosed location in the Moscow region.
WORLD
May 17, 2026
Mass Ukraine drone barrage kills four in Russia
The attack was one one of the largest Ukrainian barrages on Russian soil of the conflict so far.
Russian President Vladimir Putin walks with Chinese leader Xi Jinping to a military parade marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, in Beijing last September.
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
May 17, 2026
Putin to visit China for talks with Xi, days after Trump trip
During the trip, the Russian leader will discuss with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping how to “further strengthen the comprehensive partnership and strategic cooperation.”
U.S. Army soldiers practice new battlefield casualty evacuation methods during a NATO exercise in Poland on Monday.
WORLD
May 16, 2026
U.S. scraps deployment of 4,000 troops to Poland
The latest move follows an announcement made earlier this month in which the U.S. said it would withdraw 5,000 troops from Germany.
An advertisement promoting contract military service in the Russian Army's unmanned systems units in St. Petersburg.
WORLD
May 15, 2026
Russia presses college students to fill ranks of drone pilots
The campaign to recruit students underscores how the Kremlin is adapting to sustain its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, now in its fifth year.
People visit the graves of Russian service members killed during Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine at a cemetery on the outskirts of Donetsk, a Russian-controlled city in eastern Ukraine, on April 19.
COMMENTARY / World
May 15, 2026
Putin’s ‘special military operation’ is a catastrophic failure
Russia’s murderous assault on Ukraine is Europe’s longest and bloodiest war of the 21st century.
Rescuers work at a residential building partially destroyed following Russian drone and missile strikes in Kyiv on Thursday.
WORLD
May 14, 2026
Russia pounds Ukraine in massive air attack
The barrage killed at least one and wounded dozens.
European leaders gather for a picture at the B9 summit in Bucharest, Romania, on Wednesday.
WORLD / Politics
May 14, 2026
Russian airspace breaches show need to boost NATO eastern flank air defense, leaders say
The meeting aims to find ways to mend a widening rift between U.S. President Donald Trump and Europe over the Iran crisis.
A test launch of Russia's Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile at an unidentified location, captured in a still image taken from video released Tuesday
WORLD / Politics
May 13, 2026
Putin vows to deploy powerful Sarmat missile this year after successful test
The Russian leader unveiled the project in March 2018 speech while touting a series of new weapons that he said could render U.S. missile defenses “ineffective.”
Former Ukrainian marine Yaroslav Rumyantsev shows a photograph of himself when he was held in Russian captivity.
WORLD
May 12, 2026
Inside the jails where Russia breaks Ukrainian prisoners ‘like dogs’
Former prisoners and families of detainees have described how strong men were “broken like dogs.”
U.S. President Donald Trump meets Chinese leader Xi Jinping during bilateral talks on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Busan, South Korea, in October.
COMMENTARY / World
May 12, 2026
Why the Trump-Xi summit will be underwhelming
The best-case scenario for the Trump-Xi summit might be that the two leaders agree to disagree on the many fundamental challenges in the U.S.-China relationship.
Restoring democracy in Russia will require challenging Vladimir Putin’s authoritarian rule by rebuilding locally accountable governments that can deliver public services and foster political accountability.
COMMENTARY / World
May 12, 2026
Putin should be challenged to restore local democracy in Russia
Before the 1990 elections, many experts had assumed that the main effect of local democracy would be to deliver more autonomy for regions populated by ethnic minorities.
Andriy Yermak in Kyiv in January 2024
WORLD / Politics
May 12, 2026
Zelenskyy’s ex-chief of staff named as suspect in major corruption probe
The case is part ​of a broader probe into high-level graft first unveiled ​last November.
Russian President Vladimir Putin talks to the media following his meetings with foreign delegations at the Kremlin in Moscow on Saturday.
WORLD / Politics
May 11, 2026
Ukraine and Russia trade accusations of violating U.S.-backed ceasefire
The three-day pause is part of a broader U.S.-led push for peace that has so far failed to end the war, going for more than four years, despite ​months of shuttle diplomacy.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi waves as she departs a Royal Australian Air Force base in Canberra on May 5, after a three-day official visit.
COMMENTARY / Japan
May 10, 2026
Was Japan’s recent Golden Week diplomatic offensive effective, let alone ‘strategic’?
Prime Ministger Takaichi risks continuing a pattern of compressed, opportunistic diplomacy — busy, but not always effective.
The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry in Tokyo's Kasumigaseki district
BUSINESS / Companies
May 10, 2026
Japan considers sending officials to Russia by end of May
However, the trade ministry said the current situation doesn’t allow for pursuing new forms of cooperation with Russia.
Demonstrators from Pussy Riot group held a protest at Venice Biennale's International Art Exhibition on May 7, 2026.
CULTURE / Art
May 8, 2026
At the Venice Biennale, the anger isn’t about the art
The mass resignation of the Biennale jury over Israel’s and Russia’s participation was followed by protests. The art is getting drowned out in the controversy.
China’s demand for Soviet-style apartments shows limits to revival
Apartments built during a Soviet Union-inspired construction drive in the 1970s and 1980s tend to suffer from poor insulation and outdated plumbing, but they are seeing a revival in interest due to their attractive locations.
Japanese scientists identify neural mechanism that may explain why we dislike people
The aggressive mouse (left) used in the experiment and a mouse defending itself
Japanese payment processor’s collapse hits banks and restaurants
Zentoshin served around 200,000 shops, many of which rely on early payments to maintain cash flow, raising concerns over their financial stability following the disruption.
Over 70% of accommodations in Japan say they are understaffed amid tourism influx
The number of foreign visitors to Japan reached a high of 42.68 million in 2025.
Lenders seek $700 million after Japanese payments firm’s collapse
The financial failure of Osaka-based Zentoshin has left 63 creditors with claims totaling ¥115.16 billion, according to Tokyo Shoko Research.
Japan’s largest exhibition of women photographers rights a wrong in cultural history
Miwa Yanagi’s “Elevator Girl House” series skewers the superficiality of gender roles through staged images.
Over 70% of accommodations in Japan say they are understaffed amid tourism influx
The number of foreign visitors to Japan reached a high of 42.68 million in 2025.
‘Princess Mononoke’ comes alive in Super Kabuki staging
The “Princess Mononoke” adaptation was created under Shochiku’s Super Kabuki initiative, a modern form of kabuki with more technology in staging and open to pop culture collaborations.
The beating heart inside ‘Human Vapor’
Different forms of love and connection form the emotional backbone of Netflix’s “Human Vapor,” says actor Shun Oguri, who plays troubled detective Kenji Okamoto.
Japan bets on character IP to drive global growth
Born on social media platforms in 2022, Opanchu Usagi has become a major hit, especially among Generation Z.

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One of the many entrances to the Kabukicho neighborhood in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward.
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